CONTRACTOR General Dirk Harrison says his office is currently reviewing documents submitted by the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) in which concerns have been raised about the allocation of funds for a road work programme being implemented by the National Works Agency (NWA).

PNP General Secretary Julian Robinson, in a letter to the contractor general, a copy of which was obtained by the

Jamaica Observer, argued that there “appears to be very blatant partisan political bias in the allocation of the road work programme”.

Robinson said of the $3 billion allocated for the programme, which is expected to cover 26 constituencies, approximately $2.8 billion has been allocated to constituencies represented by 24 Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) members of Parliament and approximately $190 million to constituencies represented by two PNP members of Parliament.

Robinson said: “While we are not questioning the need for the work in these constituencies, it is very clear that the implementation is totally lopsided to favour constituencies represented by JLP MPs. There are many roads in urgent need of repair in constituencies represented by PNP MPs.”

He accused the Andrew Holness-led Administration of continuing a trend to “use State resources in a partisan political way for their benefit”, referencing the $800-million debushing programme done ahead of last year’s local government election.

On Tuesday, Harrison told the

Observer that his office was in receipt of the documents.

“We have received the documents and we are currently reviewing the documents,” Harrison said.

Questions e-mailed to NWA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Everton Hunter last Wednesday, about how the constituencies were selected, have so far not been answered.

The

Observer was told via telephone by an employee, when the CEO’s office was contacted again, last Tuesday, that the questions will not be answered until perhaps next week.

“We received the e-mail; it’s being dealt with and you should hear something maybe by next week. Mr Hunter is out of office. He is travelling today and will not be in until Monday,” the worker said.

Political Ombudsman Donna Parchment Brown confirmed Tuesday that her office will be “looking” into the matter.

“What he (Robinson) has said in itself does not say anything wrong is being done. But it just raises a red flag for one to look into and so that is what I’m doing by getting further information as to the full scope of the programme.

“I can’t say whether or not a programme is expected to take place in 63 constituencies or what is the rationale behind the development of the programme in this way. So that will form part of the investigation,” Parchment Brown told the

Observer.