Contractor general unearths NSWMA mess
Published:Saturday | March 1, 2014 | 12:00 AM
A PROBE into the circumstances under which several contractors at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) had their contracts terminated and others hired in their place has revealed that the engagement of the new contractors, in many instances, was highly irregular and lacked fairness.
The report, tabled in the Senate yesterday, said the NSWMA, under the leadership of former Executive Director Joan Gordon-Webley, committed several breaches of the Government's procurement rules in the award and/or termination of several contracts by the NSWMA, during the period 2007 to 2008.
Among the irregularities identified are the award of contracts to unregistered contractors; several contracts were awarded in an irregular manner; the requisite approvals were not received from the procurement committee, the National Contracts Commission and the Cabinet; services were being performed by contractors, for and on behalf of the NSWMA, without formal written contracts; and contractors were operating based upon contracts which had expired.
NOT ENOUGH NOTICE
The Dirk Harrison-authored report also said contracts were terminated without the requisite notification period being observed, and payments were withheld by the NSWMA for services which were rendered, on the basis of the contractors' failure to provide a valid TCC.
"The NSWMA must implement effective measures to ensure that it scrupulously adheres to the requirements of the Government of Jamaica's procurement guide-lines and the Contractor General Act at all times when procuring goods, works and services," Harrison recommended.
He added: "The principle of procedural fairness [should] be a hallmark of the administration of GOJ contracts and, consequently, that the lines of communication between contracting parties be timely and forthright."
The Office of the Contractor General's investigation into the award of contracts by the NSWMA was initiated following allegations that contracts were being terminated and replaced by the NSWMA shortly after the Jamaica Labour Party won state power in 2007, without same going through the requisite tendering process.