Golding moves resolution for evaluation and approval review

[Assasin]

Golding moves resolution for evaluation and approval review

2010-03-26 13:19:39 | (0 Comments)
The Prime Minister Bruce Golding has moved a resolution in Parliament for the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee to review the process for the evaluation and approval of commercial agreements by public bodies.

The move follows the report of the Contractor General on the airlift agreements made between Jamaica Vacations (JAMVAC) and American Airlines.

Mr. Golding says he’s also taking appropriate action on several of the recommendations contained in the report.

The Prime Minister asserted that the tourism minister and JAMVAC sought advice and approval from the relevant government agencies and did not mislead Cabinet on their intentions.

However, he added that the agreements should have been approved by the Cabinet before they were signed.

Mr. Golding also says JAMVAC should have been more forthcoming and cooperative with the Contractor General.

He says JAMVAC and the Minister of Tourism have been reminded about the government’s policies on these matters.

Despite admitting that the agreement signed by the JAMVAC chairman, John Lynch was without the approval of Cabinet, the prime minister is defending the deal.

He also indicated that American Airlines was the only carrier that was approached for the airlift deal contrary to previous utterances from the Minister of Tourism Ed Bartlett and other officials.

In his report, contractor general Greg Christie said the agreements between Jamaica and American Airlines were improperly awarded and that the government was misled about details of the US$4.5 million deal.


Source: Gleaner/Power 106 News

[Don1]

Golding moves resolution for evaluation and approval review

2010-03-26 13:19:39 | (0 Comments)
The Prime Minister Bruce Golding has moved a resolution in Parliament for the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee to review the process for the evaluation and approval of commercial agreements by public bodies.

The move follows the report of the Contractor General on the airlift agreements made between Jamaica Vacations (JAMVAC) and American Airlines.

Mr. Golding says he’s also taking appropriate action on several of the recommendations contained in the report.

The Prime Minister asserted that the tourism minister and JAMVAC sought advice and approval from the relevant government agencies and did not mislead Cabinet on their intentions.

However, he added that the agreements should have been approved by the Cabinet before they were signed.

Mr. Golding also says JAMVAC should have been more forthcoming and cooperative with the Contractor General.

He says JAMVAC and the Minister of Tourism have been reminded about the government’s policies on these matters.

Despite admitting that the agreement signed by the JAMVAC chairman, John Lynch was without the approval of Cabinet, the prime minister is defending the deal.

He also indicated that American Airlines was the only carrier that was approached for the airlift deal contrary to previous utterances from the Minister of Tourism Ed Bartlett and other officials.

In his report, contractor general Greg Christie said the agreements between Jamaica and American Airlines were improperly awarded and that the government was misled about details of the US$4.5 million deal.


Source: Gleaner/Power 106 News

the expected cover-up

[Assasin]

How so?

[Don1]

How so?

I guess I need to spell it out...

Despite admitting that the agreement signed by the JAMVAC chairman, John Lynch was without the approval of Cabinet, the prime minister is defending the deal.

[Assasin]

Don't you see where he admitted wrong doing???

and pretty much accepted the recommendation, that alone should say something. yes he defended the deal but not the proceedure and that is what concern the CG.

[Don1]

Don't you see where he admitted wrong doing???

and pretty much accepted the recommendation, that alone should say something. yes he defended the deal but not the proceedure and that is what concern the CG.

I don't have any particular problem with Bartlett's cowboy style...going off on his own re this issue.

I just expected the political cover provided by Golding....that's all.

[Assasin]

But I don't see the cover really. He did a cowboy job really and by accepting that Bartlett and Lynch in some parts didn't follow the proper proceedure pretty much tell the story and at the same time I doubt the CG will have a problem with Golding statement.

[Assasin]

OCG welcomes Golding’s response

2010-03-26 17:58:39 | (0 Comments)
The Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has welcomed the response of Prime Minister Bruce Golding to the OCG’s Special Report of Investigation into the American Airlines Airlift Agreements.

Yesterday, Mr. Golding told the Lower House that contrary to the findings of the contractor general, the tourism minister did not mislead the cabinet regarding the deal.

According to Mr. Golding, while it was incorrect for the Cabinet submission to have referred to the arrangement as an unsolicited proposal, the origin and nature of the deal were fully explained to the Cabinet.

He however acknowledged that the airlift agreements were in fact signed by the chairman of JAMVAC, John Lynch and without the approval of Cabinet, and that it was a breach of government policy.

In his statement this afternoon, contractor general Greg Christie noted this as among aspects of the prime minister’s statement which he says will serve to re-enforce critical principles of accountability and transparency in public contracting in Jamaica.

However, the OCG says it’s unreservedly standing by its finding that the tourism minister Edmund Bartlett signed a formal Cabinet Submission, dated September 9, 2008 which it says falsely stated that JAMVAC favourably considered a verbal, unsolicited proposal from American Airlines.

The OCG says the gravity of Mr. Bartlett’s false representation must be viewed, among other things, against the contradictory written statement of American Airlines which was sent to its office.

That statement said that American Airlines was approached by Lionel
Reid, the Executive Director of JAMVAC and John Lynch, the Director of Tourism and Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, concerning the possibility of American Airlines adding additional service to Jamaica.

The OCG notes that irrespective of what discussions took place in the Cabinet meeting, Mr. Bartlett’s Cabinet submission, which has legal force and is still on the public record, has, to date, neither been amended nor withdrawn, nor was its content challenged or clarified by the Cabinet Secretary in his sworn written response of November 3, 2009.