THE MUCH anticipated report on the hiring of Government consultants is now in the possession of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
According to Information Minister, Burchell Whiteman, a meeting will soon be held between Mr. Patterson and members of the Cabinet, at which the ministers will discuss the consultancy report, and an update on the Public Sector Modernisation Programme.
"He (Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Carlton Davis) has presented it (the report) to the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister has asked that copies be sent to members of the Cabinet so that the Cabinet can look at it together," Minister Whiteman said during yesterday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House. He stated that the meeting would likely take place within the next week or by the end of the month.
Dr. Davis had been charged with the responsibility of conducting the review, after it was disclosed earlier this year that Government has been doling out more than $95 million annually in consultancy fees.
Heightening public concern was the revelation that this included huge sums paid to former Members
of Parliament connected to the governing People's National Party (PNP).
A little more than a week ago, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) spokesman on Finance, Audley Shaw, told The Gleaner that he planned to apply renewed pressure on the Government to provide the country with the long-delayed report.
"It's an outright cover-up," he said, adding that he would be tabling a fresh round of queries immediately after the resumption of Parliament.
"I will not rest until it is released," he added. Parliament is expected to reconvene next week.
In March, when the Prime Minister ordered the probe into how consultancy appointments are made, Minister Whiteman said the move was not a concession that something was wrong with the process, but rather an effort by Mr. Patterson to satisfy himself that persons are hired based on competence and not for their political affiliation. It has been more than three months since the call for the review, which was expected to be completed in a few weeks.
