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Opposition spokesman on Tourism Dr. Wykeham Mcneil has called on the Prime Minister to take action against Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett and two other public officials, John Lynch and Lionel Reid for their role in the controversial American Airlines deal.
The call was made at a press conference at the PNP Headquarters, where Dr. McNeil stopped just short of saying Ed Bartlett should be dismissed from the Cabinet.
Damning was how Dr. Mcneil summed up the contractor general's report which points to what may be construed as a web of deceit weaved by the Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett to get over $400 million to finance the American Airlines revenue guarantee deal two years ago.
The Contractor General found Bartlett misled cabinet on the deal, and implemented it along with JTB chairman John Lynch and Jamvac head Lionel Reid in blatant disregard of a cabinet directive.
"We in the opposition are deeply concerned about the findings contained in the Contractor General's report. We disagreed with the revenue guarantee arrangement in the first place but that is an issue of policy and strategy. What we are faced with here is far more damaging, this speaks to matters of governance, openness, of transparency and of integrity," Dr. McNeil said.
He is calling on the Attorney General to hold the trio accountable for their "improper and irregular" actions in the American Airlines deal.
But now that the deal has been done and money probably spent, Dr. Mcneil is raising questions as to what this means for accountability of public officials entrusted with public funds.
"We in the opposition are calling on the government not to sweep this report under the carpet and to state what action will be taken to hold these persons fully accountable to the taxpayers of this nation for their actions" he said.
Dr. Mcneil aided by his colleague PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill, highlighted that there is no more serious charge than for a minister to mislead Cabinet.
Mr. Pickersgill said it is a matter which has as the ultimate penalty, dismissal of the minister involved...but neither he nor Mcneil made the explicit assertion that Mr. Bartlett be dismissed.
They instead like the Contractor General said the Prime Minister at the very least must take some disciplinary action against Mr. Bartlett.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/25533/26/
The call was made at a press conference at the PNP Headquarters, where Dr. McNeil stopped just short of saying Ed Bartlett should be dismissed from the Cabinet.
Damning was how Dr. Mcneil summed up the contractor general's report which points to what may be construed as a web of deceit weaved by the Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett to get over $400 million to finance the American Airlines revenue guarantee deal two years ago.
The Contractor General found Bartlett misled cabinet on the deal, and implemented it along with JTB chairman John Lynch and Jamvac head Lionel Reid in blatant disregard of a cabinet directive.
"We in the opposition are deeply concerned about the findings contained in the Contractor General's report. We disagreed with the revenue guarantee arrangement in the first place but that is an issue of policy and strategy. What we are faced with here is far more damaging, this speaks to matters of governance, openness, of transparency and of integrity," Dr. McNeil said.
He is calling on the Attorney General to hold the trio accountable for their "improper and irregular" actions in the American Airlines deal.
But now that the deal has been done and money probably spent, Dr. Mcneil is raising questions as to what this means for accountability of public officials entrusted with public funds.
"We in the opposition are calling on the government not to sweep this report under the carpet and to state what action will be taken to hold these persons fully accountable to the taxpayers of this nation for their actions" he said.
Dr. Mcneil aided by his colleague PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill, highlighted that there is no more serious charge than for a minister to mislead Cabinet.
Mr. Pickersgill said it is a matter which has as the ultimate penalty, dismissal of the minister involved...but neither he nor Mcneil made the explicit assertion that Mr. Bartlett be dismissed.
They instead like the Contractor General said the Prime Minister at the very least must take some disciplinary action against Mr. Bartlett.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/25533/26/