Police Fraud Squad still dealing with contractors referred by Christie

The Government says files for 15 of the 84 works contractors referred to the Police Fraud Squad in 2009, remain with investigators.



Former Contractor General Greg Christie had referred the contractors to the police over alleged irregularities with their registration to the National Contracts Commission (NCC).



In June, Works Minister Dr Omar Davies told the Parliament that while the police concluded that there were errors in the registration, the actions of the contractors did not amount to fraud.



However, yesterday, Minister with responsibility for the Public Service, Horace Dalley, told the House of Representatives that only 65 of 84 contractors have been invited to reapply to the NCC.



He says the Fraud Squad has no further interest in those cases, but is still dealing with 15 others.



He says four others remain at the Office of the Contractor General(OCG).



Christie has spoken out against the move to reinstate the contractors, noting that in all instances they made what he claims to be materially false statements on their application forms.



Meanwhile, Dalley explains that the issue with the contractors was one of the reasons that led the Government to review the contractor registration process.



He says one of the changes will include the separation of the NCC from the OCG and the establishement of a complaints body.



The NCC will be renamed the Public Procurement Commission.



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