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News
Jamalco sale 'nothing short of scandalous' - OCG
Complains Gov't sidelining office over deal
JamaicaObserver.com
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
CONTRACTOR General Greg Christie has launched an investigation into Government’s proposed divestment of its 45 per cent stake in JAMALCO to Zhuhai Hongfan Non-ferrous Metals and Chemical Engineering Limited (Hongfan).
In a release today the Contractor General said that he was forced to act after the Ministry of Energy and Mining failed and/or refused to put the divestment of the shares through a structured, Office of the Contractor General (OCG) monitored competitive process. Christie said that he had also received a letter from the permanent secretary in that ministry which challenged the OCG's jurisdiction in Government divestments.
Writing to Prime Minister Bruce Golding today, Christie said that the matter was "nothing short of scandalous” and a “retrograde step for the administration”.
“The fact that the administration has now boldly challenged the jurisdiction of the OCG over asset divestment matters, despite, inter alia, its previous record of requesting the OCG to formally investigate similar issues, has called into question the credibility and sincerity of its pronouncements regarding its commitment to fight corruption, to strengthen the country’s anti-corruption and good governance institutional structures, and to ensure transparency, probity, competition, accountability and value for money in public contracting," Christie said.
He said that he had previously told the Government that circumstances surrounding the deal raised concerns of transparency, value for money, competition, conflicts of interest, propriety, merit and impartiality.
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6/2/2010
Talk talk talk, no action.
The office has no teeth !!!
6/2/2010
More & more Mr. Christie is proving a credit to his country. As our country grapples with its varied crises it is noteworthy that we have a public official who so far, as demonstrated a rare level of courage and independence. The Golding administration has started to come apart at its seams as demonstrated by the lack of adherence to its core issues.
Keep up the vigilance CG the country requires it now more than ever.
6/1/2010
Trafigura 2.0... Homuch oonuh waan bet mi seh "Zhuhai Hongfan" is TRAFIGURA in Chinese language!?
6/1/2010
The way to win the war, is to win one battle at a time...
6/1/2010
I think these people should have done some crash courses in governance before they took over government. They are so inept.
6/1/2010
Another one? OMG. They will never learn
6/1/2010
The "old school" politicians knows nothing about probity et al this deal bears all the hallmarks of one of the political dinosaurs - Bartlett did it and those who chastised him were made to look the guilty parties by the PM.
This was just a deal to richen the largesse for pork barrel politics nothing to do with the interest of the country.
6/1/2010
More licks.
Insincerity, corruption and downright lies have become the hallmark of this govt. under Bruce Golding. Can't his cabinet ministers, MP's and senators see the writing on the wall? Give him the boot and demonstrate that you are for real strong leadership, not this bungling, backward buffoonery.
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