Aubyn Hill contract investigation finished — Christie

Findings to be made public after tabling in Parliament

Jamaica Observer

Monday, September 13, 2010

THE Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has ended its investigation into the the alleged award of a multi-million dollar consultancy contract to Aubyn Hill and/or his company, Corporate Strategies Ltd, by the state-owned Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ).

The findings will be made public on the OCG‚s website after the report has been formally tabled in both Houses of Parliament.

The decision to investigate was taken by Contractor General Greg Christie on October 16, 2009, after certain allegations about the alleged contract were aired in the electronic and print media.

“The allegations raised critical questions and concerns for the OCG, particularly because of reports that approximately $27 million had already been paid out under the contract since 2008 July, and the fact that Mr Aubyn Hill was also the chairman of the board of directors of the SCJ Holdings Ltd, which then held the Government’s assets which were being divested,” the OCG said in a release today.

The OCG began its investigation last October.

The investigation determined, among other things, whether the alleged contract was awarded impartially and on merit and in circumstances which did not involve impropriety or irregularity and whether, having regard to the fact that Hill was also the chairman of SCJ Holdings Ltd, if the disclosure and conflict of interest provisions of the Public Bodies Management and Accountability Act or any other law were violated.

Copies of the OCG‚s report were sent to eight Government agencies today, as well as to the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and the Clerk to the Houses.

Related stories:

Aubyn Hill’s contract to be reviewed

$1.9 million monthly!