PARLIAMENT’S Public Accounts Committee (PAC) failed again yesterday to agree on a single report on the US$43-million overrun on the Sandals Whitehouse project, increasing the likelihood of both sides tabling separate reports in the House of Representatives.

Interim PAC chairman Mike Henry (Central Clarendon) suggested that members take home the final draft, agonise over it for a week, and meet again next Tuesday for a final decision.

The main bone of contention is a position by the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) members that the report must assign blame for the massive overrun. Governing People’s National Party (PNP) members, in the meantime, say that they are more interested in preventing a similar loss in the future.

“I have absolutely no doubt that blame has to be assigned primarily on the overall project management and I have said so many times. To the extent that the board was grossly negligent, or it was the project management that did not give the information to the board, blame has to be assigned,” Opposition Spokesman on Justice Delroy Chuck (North East St Andrew) insisted.

But, main spokesman for the government, John Junor (Central Manchester), felt that politics was prompting the Opposition’s demand.

“Degrees of culpability is one issue, but far more important is how do you prevent a future recurrence…Unfortunately, in matters like this, politics creeps in and that is where the blame game comes in. Now if that is what we are going to focus on, then I am not in it. I want to focus on what are the issues that we need to address to ensure that this doesn’t happen again,” Junor said.

Opposition member Joseph Hibbert (East Rural St Andrew) felt that there wasn’t much further the committee could go than to adjourn and come back next week for a final decision. Similar sentiments were expressed by Government members Dr Morais Guy (Central St Mary) and Dr Patrick Harris (North Trelawny). But Government member Sharon Hay-Webster (South Central St Catherine) felt that there was a chance that members could still reach consensus on a single report which noted the objections of the Opposition.

Junor supported Hay-Webster’s position, suggesting that a paragraph be included noting the Opposition’s objections. But, Opposition member Clive Mullings (West Central St James) responded that there was no compulsion to produce a single report and, if there was substantial disagreement on issues, the Opposition had the right to table a minority report.