PNP not letting up on Gov’t
THE Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has made it clear that it will not be letting up on the Andrew Holness-led Administration over troubling findings at a number of State agencies, and would continue its effort to unearth corruption across the public sector.
Speaking at the opening session of the PNP’s 80th annual general conference at the National Arena in Kingston on Thursday evening, General Secretary Julian Robinson stated: “Over the last number of months we have been very strident in holding this Government to account, on a number of issues. And while we have been able to hold them to account in some areas, it saddens me to say that the level of corruption that exists is pervasive across this Government, and we will continue, stridently, to expose it.
“We are also committed, as a movement, not just to… exposing it, but when we come to the crease next time we are committed to doing better, and we intend to lead from the front when we form Government,” he continued.
Fresh questions arose this week about a multimillion-dollar project and other activities at National Energy Solutions Limited (NESOL), one of the agencies that has been at the centre of controversy surrounding a number of entities which fall under the energy, science, and technology portfolios.
On Thursday, anti-corruption watchdog National Integrity Action (NIA) issued a statement emphasising that it was unacceptable that executives and board members who “appear culpable, simply resign or retire with no sanction whatsoever…”
The NIA said, too, that it is increasingly alarmed by the extent of breaches of Government guidelines which have been revealed over recent months at hearings of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) of Parliament.
The other agencies which have found themselves in the spotlight are Petrojam, the Universal Service Fund, with the latter, earlier this week, facing questions at the PAAC meeting about a solar lighting contract which it engaged NESOL to carry out, at a cost of over $87 million, but which was subcontracted to a third party.
Meanwhile, Robinson said the PNP is advanced in its selection of candidates for critical constituency seats that could determine the results of the next general election.
“Our first priority as a political party is to always be prepared for the possibility of an election… We have defined those critical seats and we are about 80 per cent complete in putting candidates in place, and we anticipate that before the end of this year we would have finalised in those seats, our candidates,” he stated.
The general secretary said the party is also focused on defining its policy platform as a political movement, and its president, Dr Peter Phillips, will tomorrow unveil a set of commitments to the Jamaican people.
— Alphea Saunders