Christie, Llewellyn and Tufton — a cause for concern

Thursday, September 30, 2010

WE, frankly, are increasingly fretful about recent developments involving Contractor General Mr Greg Christie, Director of Public Prosecutions Miss Paula Llewellyn and Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton.

Because perceptions are terribly important, sometimes even more than reality, it doesn't matter that what might be happening is nothing more than appearances of a quarrel among them.

The sequence of events suggests a spat between Mr Christie on the one side and Miss Llewellyn and Dr Tufton on the other.

First, the contractor general in his 2009 report to Parliament slapped the DPP's office, among other State agencies, for their alleged tardiness in acting on the recommendations arising out of his investigations. The media immediately ran with the story.

The following day, the OCG dispatched a news release in which Mr Christie was at pains to clarify that he had not fingered the DPP specifically and to lay the blame for that suggestion squarely at the feet of an unnamed media house.

This left us to wonder if in-between he might have received an angry telephone call from Miss Llewellyn questioning his claims about tardiness.

Within days of that, the DPP published her response to some of the matters involving Dr Tufton, his permanent secretary Mr Donovan Stanberry, and former banker Aubyn Hill, which were referred to her by Mr Christie's OCG. Here's where it gets troubling.

Miss Llewellyn used some pretty strong words amounting to a chastisement in explaining why she could not acquiesce to Mr Christie's wishes to have her file criminal charges against the three men whom he had accused of perjury in the matter of the hiring of Mr Hill, the point man in the divestment of five state-owned sugar estates.

She said, for example, that her office would be "severely embarrassed" should it attempt to convince the court that the men were guilty of wilfully misleading the OCG's probe of Mr Hill's multi-million dollar consultancy contract from the Government.

Furthermore: "As a matter of common sense and criminal practice and procedure, a prosecutor does not embark on a case where it is clear from the beginning that one cannot overcome a no-case submission."

For his part, the agriculture minister, in similarly upbraiding Mr Christie, called for a review of the legislation governing the operations of the OCG.

The minister in a statement urged "a greater level of interaction between public servants and the contractor general before cases are referred to the DPP and disseminated to the media".

Dr Tufton was mindful that because of the prevailing perception "that the public service is inherently corrupt, the contractor general... may unwittingly influence public opinion and perception in relation to corruption in Government's contracts award system".

"Within this context, it is critical that the contractor general exercises the utmost care in his investigation to understand context motives and intent before recommending criminal prosecution, as once he makes these recommendations to charge public servants, the said public servants' reputations immediately come under attack in the court of public opinion," he cautioned.

While both Miss Llewellyn and Dr Tufton praised the work of the OCG, it was difficult not to sense the tension.

These three government operatives are critical to good governance and the fight against corruption. We cannot afford a verbal brawl among them, no matter how skilfully disguised.

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COMMENTS (15)

Norman Lee
10/5/2010

Simple things affect simple minds!

norris Richards
10/5/2010

There is no reason to be concerned, our energy is misplaced. What we should be concerned about is the head of the government departments not talking care of the little things, like the DPP not acknowledging the files sent from the OCG. This is what caused the perceived problem between the DPP and CG office. Failure to take care of the simple thing is a path leading to failure in doing the big things professionally.

christopher Isaacs
10/1/2010

Persons like Duncan Bertram act on their emotions. The DPP has to be realistic, the DPP does not have the luxury of just acting willy nilly or he/she will lose credibility. The DPP must be convinced that he/she has a reasonable chance of prosecuting successfully. The DPP has to consider the possible implications of injudicious prosecution, how it might impact the state or the office of the DPP, We must also take into consideration that the DPP's office is not resourced with the best legal minds

christopher Isaacs
10/1/2010

The media, including you observer, has been complicit in Greg Christie's mediacentric behaviour. His penchant for grabbing the news headlines and the media's willingness to be first with the sensational headlines have manifested into this untennable situation of which you speak. I believe the process is all wrong. G.C or the OCG should first report to parliament, then based on what is revealed the DPP would initiate some investigation if called for. The DPP ultimately decides how to proceed.

Duncan Bertram
9/30/2010

The country would be better served if Greg Christie was the DPP. He would not be afraid to prosecute Tufton, Warmington or Dudus. Greg Christie stand up and remember Hardley Lewin, Portia Miller and Moss Solomon you are not alone.

Donald Duncan
9/30/2010

What is even more tragic in this whole affair is that the wrongs pointed out by Mr.Chrisite have been overlooked - procurement guidelines were breached and no one has been held accountable

Otis James
9/30/2010

I will have to agree with Dr. Tufton, it takes years to build ones reputation, while it takes a day to destroy it. I believe the OCG should not send it to the media the part about purjury but instead let the DPP rule on it first then put it in the media if the DPP said the individual should be charged. But to put it in the public for everyone to judge the Minister without him being charged is unfair. I should mention the importance of the OCG in the fight against corruption.

Ann Smith
9/30/2010

The public's trust and accountability to the public are among the highest of all the responsibilities of governance. It follows that rules and regulations are to be strictly adhered to under every condition and checks and balances in place that enable the public servants to perform their jobs confidently within those parameters.
Therefore, if the environment in which they operate is fluid then you will have a very chaotic out come. These conditions,each one, must be reviewed and tightened.

Brooklyn Jamaican
9/30/2010

Mr Observer this is borderline but please print this. WE all like our own way, but at home Parents make decisions we don't like we accept, Spouse make decision we don't like, we accept. Boss does stuff we don't liek we accept , Prime Minister makes decisions we question we accept. The DPP has a role and she makes decisions and we must accept period, unless evidence exists she is bribed etc. The CG has had training in life he must accept. She cannot prosecute to make him feel good.

Larry Simpson
9/30/2010

Will we now see an oppertunity where in the CG will be forced to resign from his post because of this?

Chuck Emanuel
9/30/2010

We frankly do not need mediators, or sound-bite assertions made about the Integrity of a Greg Christie. He is a Professional of the highest capacity and integrity and has not been bought by Politicians, media Houses, or anyone. The main issue has been the lack of Accountability for the rampant criminality and corruption in Governance. Those are the facts that needs to be dealt with as Mr Christie continue to expose them. Media Houses needs to cease with waffling and hold Governance accountable

Duncan Bertram
9/30/2010

Three government operatives. DPP,MOA, OCG. Which 1 should Ja'cans believe? The MOA agreed something went wrong in their report to the OCG, they claimed it was a mistake. OCG is bent on doing its job without fear or malice to anybody, but duty to Ja. The DPP is afraid she cannot prosecute the men of the MOA and is afraid to be embarassed if she failed. The justice system was not created to only prosecute, but also to render justice appropriately. It should have gone to court, the DPP erred again.

Froggy D
9/30/2010

There is disagreement and open fight among the three mentioned in the editorial, but it brings a bit of suspicion on the part of Miss Llewellyn in that after the media reported the discontent of Mr Christie, she suddenly issued not one, but two statements of not finding anything worng with operations in two seperate cases. One would say that that was quick. Or we could say she came to those conclusions to spite Christe. She could be just doing her job, and if so , then what is the fuss about.

george watson
9/30/2010

Your edit.l is very instructive and reinforces my point that the media deliberately cause diviseness perhaps aimed at selling papers
LISTEN TO YOU, inter alia "The media immediately ran with the story."
Listen to you after: "These 3 govt operatives are critical to good governance and the fight against corruption. We cannot afford a verbal brawl among them, no matter how skilfully disguised."
Not unlike a schoolboy who eggs on a fight and at the end absolves himself of the consequencies.

Carlos Bryson
9/30/2010

This is much about nothing and I agree with you. As I said before, you win some, you lose some. That is all in a day's work. Bottom line, The OCG is a very important position and must be maintained. These govt agencies might consider an internal IG (inspector general) position much like all US govt agencies where these operational issues can be vetted for compliance before they rise to the level of possible criminal proscecution. No greater interaction is required between OCG and public.

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Christie, Llewellyn and Tufton — a cause for concern