KINGSTON, Jamaica — People’s National Party (PNP) Shadow Minister of Planning and Development Anthony Hylton says that while the party is encouraged by the Urban Development Corporation’s (UDC) investigation of an apparent fraud at the Dunn’s River Falls, it remains impatient for the report from the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) on its findings in the sale of Rooms on the Beach property in Ocho Rios, St Ann.

Hylton, in a release this morning, said that the OCG was asked to probe the sale of the UDC-owned property because it was alleged that the transaction, involving overseas investors was executed without due regard to the valuation report. He added that it is likely that Jamaica did not get value for money in the deal because it appeared the process was breached by people of power with vested interests.

He said the last status report on the investigation was made in June 2018, when the OCG confirmed by way of responding to media queries that, at least, one government minister was questioned in relation to the sale.

At that time, he said, the OCG indicated that the investigation was almost complete, but since then no information has been provided to the public by either the UDC or the OCG.

“It is full time now for the country to be told what is the present status of the probe into the sale of the property and whether a minister of government used his authority to influence the sale of the property,” said Hylton.

He said this is “yet another example of the tragedy of governance afflicting the Holness-led government, where it seems to be a normalised behaviour for ministers and other officials to use their authority to intervene in established due process to corrupt an already tested and proven system of governance. “

The Rooms on the Beach is owned by Montego Beach Limited, a subsidiary of National Hotels and Properties Limited, which is also a subsidiary of the UDC.