Golding among officials to testify in bauxite probe

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

PRIME Minister Bruce Golding is among the first set of public officials slated to testify during the Contractor General's investigation of the government's proposed sale of its 45 per cent stake in Clarendon Alumina Works, popularly known as Jamalco.

The shares are being sold to Chinese firm Zhuhai Hongfan.

Among others officials down to give sworn testimony are present permanent secretary in the ministry of energy and mining, Hilary Alexander and former permanent secretary, Marcia Forbes.

They will be among the first persons who will be issued with formal Office of the Contractor General (OCG) Statutory Requisitions requiring them to provide sworn testimony.

Later on, other senior public officials and private individuals will also be issued with formal requisitions to assist with the investigations. They will include the energy and mining minister James Robertson, and Howard Mitchell, chairman of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI), the Jamaica Bauxite Mining Ltd. (JBM), the Bauxite and Alumina Trading Company (BATCO) and the National Housing Trust (NHT).

Mitchell and Forbes had met with OCG officials on April 24, last year, to brief them on the government's then prospective arrangements with Hongfan and its agent, Port Reliant, acting on what they said were the instructions of the Prime Minister.

Immediately after the meeting, Contractor General Greg Christie wrote to the government to express his "grave concerns" about what was told to him and the issues of a conflict of interest and the lack of transparency and competition which were among the issues raised.

The Contractor General's requisitions will require each respondent to provide sworn testimony to the Contractor General regarding, among other things, their knowledge of the circumstances of the proposed deal and to do so on the pain of criminal prosecution under Section 8 of the Perjury Act and Section 29 (a) of the Contractor General Act. The first requisitions will be issued by the Contractor General's office by Wednesday.

According to the OCG, it is expected that the investigation will receive the full cooperation of all relevant government officials and respondents since the OCG's jurisdiction over State asset divestments is well founded in law and in practice over several years.

"The administration's contention that the OCG does not have jurisdiction over state asset divestment issues is of little concern to the OCG," Christie said.

"The contention is not only flawed, but it is a clearly misplaced and misguided one, particularly when one considers that the administration has itself previously called upon the OCG to investigate asset divestments which were undertaken by the former government. For this reason alone, the administration's 180 degree turn posture is likely to be seen for what it appears to be a highly suspicious and dangerous selective application of the rule of law", Christie said.

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COMMENTS (11)

David Campbell
6/9/2010

Who is protecting the birthright of the Jamaican people, not the politicians. How can we sell out what belong to the Ja people to foreigners for a pound of rice and a little gravy.
Somebody must step up speak for the interest of da people.

John Christian
6/8/2010

Gregg Christie....For DPP.....A man that cannot be musceled by any Party ...why he has the OCG with its relevant legal authority...nothing mysterious about that...Jamaica needs good Governance..and persons in high office who break the law..need to break stones.as in days of old..hold their feet to the fire Gregg.

viper ray
6/8/2010

I really fear for my country destiny, These Chinese companies are know for there lack of proper work ethics, and massive contamination. What is wrong with these so called educated politicians? didn't they do history? or should they have a working knowledge of international affairs?

norris Richards
6/8/2010

The OCG is God sent, to save Jamaica from the wicked politicians, hold their feet over the fire. I am sorry you didn’t start when the PNP was in power. The PNP government had sold the Jamaica public electric company for 120 million US dollars, and within 4 years the same company resold for 850 million US dollars with little improvement made to the company, with nearly the same customer base, more theft of electricity, expensive oil is still used to generate electricity. Where is the increase in the value of the company for the steep increase in price? If any sale of public asset needs investigate is the electric public company sale.
OCG keep them honest.

Wa Tch
6/8/2010

@Norman Lee. I pray it doesn't.
Golding's testimony will have to be examined with a fine tooth comb. On the other hand the questions have to be carefully worded so he is not allowed any wiggle room.

Droula Don
6/8/2010

Let's see what happens next. Dont mean to be negative but this really doesnt look good for the current administration.

george watson
6/8/2010

It is people like Greg Christie for whom monuments are built, not for people like the Thinker who is only interested in ratings and has sought to tear down everything that this country has sought to build over the years.
Luckily within a few years after he has put down the mike, or has had it taken away from him, his name will be forgotten just like all critics before him.
Monuments are for doers not critics, because they are a dime a dozen. People like GC are national treasures.

Norman Lee
6/8/2010

The late Ted Ogilve (70's) was in that class. Hope history does not repeat itself !

bayreuth lewis
6/8/2010

Great Job OCG and kudos to you Mr Christie. Jamaicans dont realise that people like Mr Christie is a national treasure. If we could get a few more people of Mr Christie ilk in the right leadership position imagine a difference that would make for jamaica. Mr Danville walker should aso be mentioned.

Radikal Discipleship
6/8/2010

Thank God there is a Greg Christie. He has persisted b/c this issue was in danger of being missed due to the dudus issue. Here again we see the kind of selective morality as that this administration is characterized by. Press on Mr. Christie, press on.

george watson
6/8/2010

People keep saying (I suspect NDM supporters) that the traditional parties have failed and that we need a new political party. NONSENCE (about us needing a new part, I mean) Remember the NDM and their NEW and DIFFERENT? Suppose Mr. Golding had succeeded then and he had taken into the party what he is now exhibiting in the JLP? What then?
The point I am making is that we don’t need new political parties because parties can promise anything on the hustings. What is needed is accountability such as is being exhibited here, which would go across the entire spectrum of governance.
Then it would only boil down to which party is more competent. The matter of corruption, which is debilitating is the KILLER, and that more than anything else is why the JLP succeeded last time. Look at the failed African nations.
Great start! A reform of the Constitution next.

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Golding among officials to testify in bauxite probe