By Garwin Davis, Assistant News EditorPRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson yesterday announced that he was suspending immediately, the hiring of Government consultants, advisers and special advisers.
He made the announcement in the House of Representatives where he also tabled a report from Dr. Carlton Davis, the Cabinet Secretary, on the hiring by Government of consultants.
He said "the freeze" would remain in force for three months after which a determination would be made on how best to proceed.
The freeze, Mr. Patterson said, "will remain to permit sufficient time for a clear definition of the role and functions of these categories of persons to be developed, approved by the Cabinet and then made public."
POSSIBLE EXCEPTION
But there will be an exception, as consultants will still be hired for projects already approved and which have to be implemented in a timely manner. The Prime Minister warned that "all such appointments must receive the prior approval of Cabinet."
Mr. Patterson four months ago assigned Dr. Davis to review the process by which Government consultants were hired.
His announcement came after disclosure that his administration had been forking out more than $95 million annually in consultancy fees, including huge sums to former Members of Parliament connected to the ruling People's National Party.
Also, it had been revealed that more than $30 million of the reported sum was paid to consultants operating from the Office of the Prime Minister.
In his report, Dr. Davis noted that there were clear breaches of the process, particularly the guidelines set out by the Ministry of Finance.
ORANE REPORT ON THE MARK
Referring to a previous Orane Task Force which had taken an in-depth look at public sector waste, Dr. Davis said: "In our own examination of the problem, we found that the Orane Task Force was not far off mark in describing the use (of resources) in the public sector as loose."
He continued: "Whilst some appointees undoubtedly conformed to the stricter definitions of the term, others did not. In reality, the term 'consultant' or 'adviser' in the civil service refer, more or less, to persons appointed on contractual terms to provide some service but for which there are no established posts, as per the Civil Service Establishment Act General Order."
Audley Shaw, the JLP spokesman on finance, asked for a list of the consultants; Mr. Patterson promised to provide it at a later date.
