KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has requested the particulars of the Ministry of Education’s alleged procurement of the bookmarkers, which was issued to school children with the image of Minister of Education, Ronald Thwaites, superimposed on the Jamaican flag.

In a release yesterday, the OCG said it had taken the decision on the heels of public complaints issued by the Parliamentary Opposition regarding the matter, and follows a news report yesterday morning which alleged that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry has refused to disclose the costs at which the souvenirs were procured, as well as the identity of the printing contractor to whom the contract was awarded.

Included among the particulars, which have been formally requisitioned from the MOE, are the following:

(a)  The tender procedures which were utilised by the MOE to execute the procurement;

(b)  The persons at the MOE who were involved in the development, approval and/or issue of the relevant tender and procurement instructions;

(c) The printing instructions and the printing template that were issued by the MOE to the contractor or contractors who were invited to tender for the award of the contract;

(d)  The identity of the contractor or contractors who were invited to tender for the award of the referenced contract; and

(e)  The value of the contract that was awarded by the MOE.

The OCG’s letter, which was copied to the Minister, requires that the Permanent Secretary fully comply with the terms of the OCG’s requisitions by 12:00 noon next Friday, August 17.