Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:
THE TIME has come for the re-examination of how public sector contracts are being awarded, according to Senator Delano Franklyn.
Mr. Franklyn who was speaking at a function in Portmore Saturday night, said after an investigation conducted by the Contractor General, the impression formed by many was that contracts were being awarded in a less than transparent manner.
He said municipal contracts committees need to put in place measures to spot small breaches of contracts, not just the big breaches.
Mr. Franklyn said he was not questioning the integrity of the Members of Parliament, council-lors or mayors who now deal with the small contracts. He said they needed to be properly insulated from the process so that there would be no suspicion of the exertion of undue and inappropriate influence.
He said the municipal contracts system needs an overhaul and that it needs to be addressed now.
The senator also said local authorities should be entrenched in the Constitution. He said it was difficult for any Member of Parliament to deal effectively with several thousand people in a constituency without the assistance of the local authority, and that the time had come for changes to be made.
Saturday's function was organised to honour several community groups and indi-viduals who have given significant service in the Greater Portmore area.
