Dear Editor,

A common thread in the waste and corruption in Jamaica is the way our Government structures the boards of directors of public bodies and their scant regard for issues related to conflict of interest and cronyism.

We have had numerous public sector scandals uncovered through reports from our stalwart of an Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis and her department, all of which have been reported by your newspaper, including those involving Petrojam, Caribbean Maritime University, Urban Development Corporation.

Despite several interventions from the private sector and non-governmental organisation leaders and promises as well as commitments from the Government, the corrective measures agreed, whereby all public sector bodies boards of directors are restructured, has not been implemented.

While this situation continues we can expect the corruption, cronyism, and scandals to multiply because we keep repeating the same behaviour.

As a nation we cannot progress unless this is stopped and the Government corrects the situation. The boards should resign en-bloc and let serious people, who mean our country well, take over.

Robert Stephens

rspragma@yahoo.com