{"id":25994,"date":"2023-01-19T17:24:31","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T22:24:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev?p=25994"},"modified":"2023-01-19T09:53:44","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T14:53:44","slug":"integrity-commission-wants-registry-that-will-expose-negligent-contractors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/integrity-commission-wants-registry-that-will-expose-negligent-contractors\/","title":{"rendered":"Integrity Commission wants registry that will expose negligent contractors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jamaica<\/p>\n

THE Integrity Commission (IC) is urging the Government to implement a public contract management system or registry that will essentially put contractors who fall down on their obligations on blast.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The recommendation comes against the background of the findings of a special investigation which the commission conducted in January 2018 \u2014 under the Office of the Contractor General, now subsumed into the commission \u2014 to verify allegations of irregularity, conflict of interest, and corruption in the award of certain contracts by Petrojam Limited.<\/p>\n

The report was tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the IC\u2019s Director of Investigations Kevon Stephenson suggests that in an effort to institute strict controls to reduce abuse of the direct contracting procurement method, the finance ministry could adopt a similar approach on its procurement notice board as that of the European Union, where procuring entities are required to publish a notice in an official journal of their intent to award a contract under the single sourcing procedure.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe notice must explain the grounds for excluding competition, and its publication should trigger a 10-day standstill period during which contractors may challenge the decision not to advertise,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Based on the findings, Stephenson has referred former General Manager Floyd Grindley and former head of the procurement unit Ronique Budram-Ford to the director of corruption prosecution for further action, for the offence of misconduct in public office, breaches of the 2014 Government procurement procedures, breaches of the Contractor General Act-Public Sector Procurement Regulations 2008, and the Corruption Prevention Act.<\/p>\n

The report has also been referred to the auditor general and the financial secretary to consider applying a surcharge against Grindley, to reimburse to the State oil refinery a total of $3.9 million, which was paid to Shalk Electronic Security Limited for security services from 2017 to 2018.<\/p>\n

Stephenson pointed out that the award of three contracts to the entity to provide security services to the former board Chairman Perceval Bahado-Singh and Grindley were irregular, with no formal tender process used in their award.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, Stephenson concluded that Grindley \u201cmay have acted negligently in the discharge of his fiduciary obligations and responsibilities, by his apparent disregard of the former procurement unit head\u2019s advice and caution, concerning the aberrance from the procurement guidelines,\u201d and his subsequent approval and insistence in the award of contracts to Main Event Entertainment Group Limited, using the direct contracting procurement process.<\/p>\n

The commission also found that Petrojam awarded a $96.7-million contract to Construction Solutions to replace its north perimeter fence\/crash wall, although it had estimated the replacement of the structure at $76.3 million, or 26.78 per cent less.<\/p>\n

Following a request from Petrojam to the National Works Agency (NWA) in August 2016 to replace the fence, the NWA had provided a quote of $29.7 million to supply all labour, supervision, material, equipment, tools and transportation, and carry out the works. But Grindley wrote to the agency a few months later, advising that despite having accepted its quotation, the refinery had decided not to pursue the project through the NWA\/China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).<\/p>\n

According to Stephenson, Grindley had advised, by his response dated July 23, 2019, that Petrojam Limited had received a non-responsive bid proposal from the NWA to construct the wall in November 2016, and that this was not in compliance with government procurement policy.<\/p>\n

More<\/a><\/p>\n

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Image:\u00a0 Free Press\/Free Press Action Fund (flickr)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jamaica THE Integrity Commission (IC) is urging the Government to implement a public contract management system or registry that will essentially put contractors who fall down on their obligations on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":26008,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[250],"tags":[157,173,124,146,125],"class_list":["post-25994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-articles","tag-anti-corruption","tag-contracts","tag-jamaica","tag-procedures","tag-public-procurement"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Corruption-Pix4Free.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6u9Qa-6Lg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":21781,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/grange-cleared-of-nepotism-allegations-by-integrity-commission\/","url_meta":{"origin":25994,"position":0},"title":"Grange cleared of nepotism allegations by Integrity Commission","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"April 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Jamaica \u00a0 Culture Minister Olivia Grange says she has been vindicated by an Integrity Commission (IC) report that has cleared her of allegations of nepotism and conflict of interest in the award of a $15-million Grand Gala contract in 2016. \u201cThe findings of the Integrity Commission are in keeping with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/pexels-pixabay-159832-scaled-e1649276337193.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/pexels-pixabay-159832-scaled-e1649276337193.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/pexels-pixabay-159832-scaled-e1649276337193.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/pexels-pixabay-159832-scaled-e1649276337193.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27080,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/ic-raps-bethlehem-moravian-ex-principal-for-procurement-breaches\/","url_meta":{"origin":25994,"position":1},"title":"IC raps Bethlehem Moravian ex-principal for procurement breaches","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"March 30, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Jamaica Integrity Commission Director of Investigation (DI) Kevon Stephenson has chided former principal of the Bethlehem Moravian College, Yvonne Clarke, for allegedly breaching the Government\u2019s procurement rules when she awarded a $7.4-million contract to Gayrol Smith for transportation services on September 20, 2016. In a report to Parliament, Stephenson indicated\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Contract-agreement-signature-Pixabay-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Contract-agreement-signature-Pixabay-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Contract-agreement-signature-Pixabay-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Contract-agreement-signature-Pixabay-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25992,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/jfb-under-fire-for-contracts-to-us-company\/","url_meta":{"origin":25994,"position":2},"title":"JFB under fire for contracts to US company","author":"Michele Marius","date":"January 19, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Jamaica THE Integrity Commission has rapped the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) for failing to report to the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) \u2014 now subsumed into the commission \u2014 two multi-million US-dollar contracts which were awarded to Rosenbauer Minnesota, in 2013 and 2015, for the provision of six fire\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Fire-Truck-Firefighter-Ki%CC%81nh-Tran-Pexels.png?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Fire-Truck-Firefighter-Ki%CC%81nh-Tran-Pexels.png?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Fire-Truck-Firefighter-Ki%CC%81nh-Tran-Pexels.png?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Fire-Truck-Firefighter-Ki%CC%81nh-Tran-Pexels.png?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":26656,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/education-ministry-nwa-and-sdc-cleared\/","url_meta":{"origin":25994,"position":3},"title":"Education ministry, NWA and SDC cleared","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"March 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Jamaica The Ministry of Education and two state agencies named in the Integrity Commission's report on the circumstances surrounding the award of Government contracts to Westcon Construction over several years, were absolved of having to answer to allegations of breaches of the Contractor General Act, by failing to report over\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/pexels-pixabay-301926-scaled-e1677796877976.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/pexels-pixabay-301926-scaled-e1677796877976.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/pexels-pixabay-301926-scaled-e1677796877976.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/pexels-pixabay-301926-scaled-e1677796877976.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":26659,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/pm-holness-at-centre-of-possible-conflict-of-interest-probe\/","url_meta":{"origin":25994,"position":4},"title":"PM Holness at centre of possible conflict of interest probe","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"March 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness has been cited for a possible conflict of interest in the awarding of Government contracts totalling millions of dollars to an entity - Westcon Construction Limited - and has been referred to the Director of Corruption Prosecution at the Integrity Commission for possible further action.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Contract-agreement-signature-Pixabay-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Contract-agreement-signature-Pixabay-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Contract-agreement-signature-Pixabay-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Contract-agreement-signature-Pixabay-Pexels.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24592,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/integrity-commission-finds-ksamc-in-breach-of-procurement-guidelines\/","url_meta":{"origin":25994,"position":5},"title":"Integrity Commission finds KSAMC in breach of procurement guidelines","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"October 13, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Jamaica THE Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) has been called out by the Integrity Commission for breaches of Government procurement guidelines related to the award of a contract 10 years ago to Knightsman Security for services at the Downtown Kingston Transport Centre.. In a report tabled in Parliament\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/pexels-darcy-lawrey-946281-e1665685232598.jpg?fit=1024%2C693&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/pexels-darcy-lawrey-946281-e1665685232598.jpg?fit=1024%2C693&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/pexels-darcy-lawrey-946281-e1665685232598.jpg?fit=1024%2C693&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/pexels-darcy-lawrey-946281-e1665685232598.jpg?fit=1024%2C693&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25994"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25994\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26002,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25994\/revisions\/26002"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26008"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}