Jdip

[Skeng DX]

Road repairs carried out on a private development - housing scheme - under the JDIP

Bridges acquired under the Mabey Johnson program are contracted out again under JDIP - paying twice for the same bridge - taxpayers suffer

Cassia Park bridge estimate was $52M in 2005 and in 2010 is $183M with bridge equipment already acquired under Mabey Johnson program

@ http://www.facebook.com/julianjayrobinson?sk=wall

[Skeng DX]

PNP claims some JDIP files are missing

The Opposition People's National Party (PNP) on Friday morning added more fuel to the controversy surrounding the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) alleging that relevant documents have gone missing.

Addressing a press conference at the party's headquarters, Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Dr. Peter Phillips alleged that documents and files that would be pertinent to an investigation have been removed from the National Works Agency's offices.

However, standing by his stance, he said the Opposition believes the police should be called to begin an investigation into a possible case of fraud.

Dr. Phillips says the police will need to take possession of all relevant documents and computers relating to the JDIP.

The PNP is also insisting that the agreement with China Harbour be re-negotiated.

[Mosiah]

oh boy! i thought Trafigura was the soup du jour?

[Don1]

oh boy! i thought Trafigura was the soup du jour?

Latte du Jour

Soup too lowbrow inna Brown Man Time

[Mosiah]

sorry!

[Karl]

The JDIP and the PNP's rant

The JDIP and the PNP's rant

RAULSTON NEMBHARD

Saturday, November 26, 2011


Prime Minister Holness has moved expeditiously to address concerns raised by the auditor general regarding the government's beleaguered flagship JDIP project. Auditor General Pamela Monroe-Ellis has pointed to glaring mismanagement of the project and to governance issues that should be of concern to the public. Even a cursory glance at what has been taking place since the launch of the project should convince the most disinterested that there is something wrong with how it is being executed. It is good that the auditor general, standing in the best traditions of her unsung predecessor, Mr Adrian Strachan, has been bold enough to tell us exactly what she and her agency have found. We would like the politicians and their acolytes to understand that despite their protestations at the findings, civil society is more inclined to believe what her agency has concluded than their own lame attempt at offering excuses.


To begin with, there is certainly no urgency in refurbishing the offices of the NWA to the tune of $100 million. This is particularly so when you consider the financial fix in which the country finds itself and the government's inability to fund critical areas of need in the society. Such expenditure harks back to the extravagance indulged in the refurbishing of the minister of tourism's office, and to the furniture scandal of a previous administration. What this tells us is that public officials do not really get it. They, like the politicians, are wont to indulge in reckless spending when they see a lot of money sloshing around, as is obviously the case with billions of dollars of Chinese money under the JDIP. There seems to be no consciousness that this is all borrowed money and that it will have to be repaid. But repayment will await the gratification of instant appetites; the good times must continue to roll.

(L-R) MONROE-ELLIS... pointed to glaring mismanagement. WONG... should not be used as a scapegoat



(L-R) MONROE-ELLIS... pointed to glaring mismanagement. WONG... should not be used as a scapegoat


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One head has rolled so far in the JDIP saga. If Patrick Wong has been deemed incompetent in the performance of his duties, it is clear that others should also be so deemed in theirs. Mr Wong should not be used as a scapegoat to excuse the culpability of other performers in this dismal situation. It has been suggested, and Minister Henry seems to believe this, that the removal of the project from Henry's portfolio by the prime minister is a temporary exercise. We hope for the sake of probity on the prime minister's part that this is not so. This would be tantamount to doing cosmetic surgery on a patient who needs radical surgery. To push the medical metaphor, it will be incremental drips of blood that will eventually kill the patient. It would be more prudent for the project to continue under the prime minister's office, and that it be supervised under an independent team answerable to him. This is not to impugn Mr Henry's reputation or to cast aspersions at his competence. But the country needs to be assured that there is not even a whiff of impropriety associated with the project, and as we all know it is beginning to stink to high heaven.

There are other projects that should come under the scalpel of the auditor general's department. I reference particularly the Christiana road project and the Palisadoes project. The auditor general touched on aspects of the Christiana project in her report, but a more detailed examination akin to a forensic audit ought to be conducted. This is also true of the Palisadoes project that has been plagued with labour disputes and other problems. The idea is to insist that we are getting value for money. When we talk about money in this context, let us remember that we are talking about borrowed funds which every taxpayer has to repay. It can be very uncomfortable when auditors start to sniff around projects of this magnitude. But if everything is being done above board, there should be no need to worry. However, if they are being managed by an incremental drip of moral probity, there should be more than enough reason for worry.

While the government is preoccupied with the depredations that have attended the JDIP, the Opposition party is voraciously biting into it like a hungry mongrel over a juicy piece of steak. One cannot fault the Opposition for this, especially when a general election to determine a new government is in full swing and it needs a substantial distraction from the Trafigura affair in which the party is enmeshed. It is the job of the Opposition to oppose and hopefully offer new directions. But it grates the nerves at times to hear the hypocritical rantings coming from Opposition spokespersons on the depredations of government when you see no tangible evidence that they themselves have been healed of their own predatory behaviour when they were in government. There has not been a hint of apology that they did anything wrong, yet they want to be trusted to be returned to power. To do what? More of the same?

Appearing on Garfield Burford's Direct programme on CVM television, Dr Davies, who now has Opposition portfolio responsibility for transport and works, seemed to consider it below his dignity to apologise for funding a number of development projects which had tremendous overruns during his time as the minister of finance. He would have more credibility if he could just bring himself to at least admit what most of us know: that mistakes were made and that many of the projects that were "run with" did not have the level of scrutiny and probity required. Some certainly did not give the country value for money. This is why it is so hard to accept that they will do differently if they should be allowed to hold the reins of power in this country any time soon. When you cannot be depended upon to say you are sorry for things for which you ought to accept responsibility, it cannot be morally right to ask to be put back in a situation where you can perpetrate the same incompetence from which you seem not to have resiled. This should be part of the country's difficulty with the PNP's desire to return to power and they are chomping at the bit to get back in.

stead6655@aol.com



www.drraulston.com


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