Davies sends warning ahead of JDIP audit

BY INGRID BROWN Observer senior reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

TRANSPORT and Works Minister Dr Omar Davies, under whose portfolio the controversial Jamaica Development Infrastructure Development Programme (JDIP) falls and for which a forensic audit has been ordered, has vowed to pursue and have prosecuted any public official involved in wrongdoing.

"Wherever I see suspicious behaviour I am going to pursue and have it investigated; I am not passing it off to anybody else and I am demanding of you that you hold me to the same standards," Davies told yesterday's luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club of St Andrew at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

Davies, noting that no country has ever been able to eliminate corruption, said what must be done is the setting up of systems to ensure that there are penalties.

"What you must be able to do is to make he/she who decides to go that route aware that there are penalties, and I believe that a powerful message would be sent if persons who have been careless in the management and handling of public sector funds were punished in a way that 'John Brown' would be in a similar behaviour," said Davies, who also has portfolio responsibility for housing.

Davies, who later addressed the House of Representatives on the JDIP, told Rotarians he had been struck by the number of people who had claimed ignorance about the controversial works programme. "These are highly-skilled and highly-qualified persons [and] if a 'half wit' like me can pose questions it seems to me that they should have been able to do so," said the minister. "...It is something I try not to judge on, but there are too many persons who say I have a mortgage to pay and as long as I am not directly involved so be it; but that is just not good enough," added the minister.

At the same, Davies said his Government, as one of the measures to deal with corruption, intends to implement the Whistleblower legislation which was introduced by the Jamaica Labour Party administration. And in responding to a question, he said his administration would be reviewing the Contractor General Act. Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, he said, has either been in communication with the contractor general or is about to communicate the way forward.

"What we want to look at is not just the Contractor General Act, but a whole set of legislation that impacts on corruption and one objective which is articulated is forming one anti-corruption body, but there needs to be checks and balances," he said.

Davies said public officials must be willing to be held accountable for decisions taken in using national assets and all such actions must be able to withstand scrutiny.

"I am firmly of the view that the country has reached the stage where questionable decisions taken to support special individuals or special interest groups will no longer be tolerated; and so anyone in a position of authority must be willing to explain the rationale for his or her decision," he insisted.

The burden of responsibility, according to Davies, falls mainly on those who have sought political office and have received endorsement from the people. However, there is a widespread tendency to believe that responsibility is restricted to the political directorate.

He argued that there are others who must be willing to take up their responsibility, among those are the media and service clubs.

Service clubs, Davies added, are aware of real issues affecting the population and are in a special position to take a stance for matters, given the projects embarked on to improve the standard of living for those at the bottom of the economic ladder.

"What the administration is seeking is a coalition of partners who seek to advance the interest of the majority of the people. It is not that we are against anybody, it is just that we are for some people more," he said.

Do you feel buying into Facebook now is a good investment for the long-run?
	Yes
	No

View Results
Results published weekly in Sunday Finance

Username:
Password:

Teen killed for laughing at man who fell from bicycle

Davies sends warning ahead of JDIP audit