Urgent action needed on corruption, says Christie

CONTRACTOR GENERAL Greg Christie has made yet another call for a more aggressive approach in the fight against corruption.

He has urged Jamaicans to demand decisive and urgent action to that end.

Using the example of the Indian government's recent arrest of Suresh Kalmadi, chief organiser of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, the Office of the Contractor General said in a release, this brought into sharp focus the failings and ineffectiveness of Jamaica's anti-corruption institutional framework.

Kalmadi was arrested yesterday following a probe into allegations of widespread corruption into the award of contracts at the scandal-tainted event.

According to news reports, the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation said Kalmadi was charged with conspiracy to favour a Swiss company in the purchase of equipment for timing and scoring events by "wrongfully restricting and eliminating competition from other suppliers in a premeditated manner".

Kalmadi, who is also a member of parliament for India's ruling Congress Party, and who was reportedly suspended from office yesterday, is expected to be taken before a special judge today to be formally charged on several conspiracy counts.

common feature

Yesterday, Christie, said the Indian case mirrors a common and recurring feature of public procurement and contracting in Jamaica. He said, however, "it is difficult to point to any criminal arrests being made, or prosecutions being initiated, whenever such matters have been alleged or have been referred to the relevant authorities."

The contractor general also bemoaned the pace at which the government has been putting in place an anti-corruption framework.

He said, "Although much has been promised by the Jamaican Government to visibly and effectively advance the fight against corruption in Jamaica, to date nothing meaningful has been accomplished, save and except for the arrest of low-ranking police officers on petty corruption charges."