Source: Azan emerges unscathed in Spaldings report

Correction & Clarification

In the story ‘Source: Azan emerges unscathed in Spaldings report’ on Page A2 yesterday, it was incorrectly stated that Richard Azan was the member of parliament (MP) for South West Clarendon. He is in fact MP for North West Clarendon. Also, the statement from the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) should have read: “The OCG is still in the process of completing its investigation report on the subject matter and is working feverishly to have same completed at the earliest time possible.”

------------------------------------------------------------------

The long-awaited report on the Spaldings Market-Richard Azan probe has been finally submitted to the Cabinet, and according to a Gleaner source at the Clarendon Parish Council, there is nothing in it to incriminate anyone.

North West Clarendon member of parliament and junior minister at the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Richard Azan, became embroiled in controversy earlier this year over the construction of shops in the Spaldings Market. It was uncovered that vendors were paying their fees at the People's National Party's North West Clarendon constituency office for renting the shops.

The Clarendon Parish Council, which owns the market, maintained that it did not approve the construction of the shops, nor was it aware of the rent agreement between the contractor and the vendors. The allegations sparked a probe into the matter.

However, the source said, "There isn't anything in the ministry's probe to incriminate anyone. What it contains are mostly recommendations, and we have already implemented some of it (recommendations) to improve efficiencies in all the parish markets."

The source informed The Gleaner that the report, commissioned by the local government minnistry, would be made public as soon as the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) completed its own investigation into the incident.

But the OCG office said yesterday that it was still in the process of completing its investigation report and was "working feverishly" to have it completed "at the earliest time possible".