PNP outraged at Henry’s response

The opposition has expressed outrage at what it describes as the woefully inadequate response from transport minister, Mike Henry, to blatant acts of corruption at the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC).



Opposition spokesman on transport, Robert Pickersgill, says despite acknowledging that the Board of the JUTC uncovered more breaches, the country is yet to see the minister take any action.



According to Mr. Pickersgill, there has been no apology from, regrets expressed by or sanctions against those who committed breaches.



He says the minister\'s failure to act has now placed the issue squarely in the hands of the Prime Minister to take the actions that are required under the circumstances.



Mr. Pickersgill says he is reminding Bruce Golding of the commitments he made to the country to stamp out corruption and to deal firmly and decisively with those found guilty of breaching the public trust during the election campaign last year.



Yesterday, the transport minister ordered an audit into procurement practices at the JUTC.



The move followed an acknowledgement of the breaches over recent months by the board in a report submitted to Mr.. Henry and Mr. Golding yesterday.



The board had met on Tuesday to examine allegations raised by the Office of the Contractor General after that agency conducted a probe into procurement practices at the state owned bus company.



The Contractor General found that there was a serious conflict of interest in the award of contracts totalling $1.6 million to Simber Productions.



The ministry says the audit review is to clarify matters such as the involvement of any of the company’s technical officers in any breaches of the procurement process.



The auditors will also be required to provide precise details of the nature of the business agreements between Simber Production Limited and the JUTC, and how the transactions between both companies were handled.



The review will also include information on any other possible association between the JUTC and any other company with which the JUTC’s late chairman, Douglas Chambers, or any other board member, was associated.



Mr.. Henry has also given instructions for the ministry to immediately strengthen its oversight capacity to ensure compliance of its agencies with the various government guidelines and procedures, including the procurement and contract management processes.