THE ANTICIPATED Contractor-General's report, which is expected to provide answers to allegations of corruption and cronyism at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), is ready.
Steve Sherman, deputy Contractor-General, told The Gleaner yesterday that Portia Simpson Miller, local government minister, should receive the report today.
Mr. Sherman was very tight-lipped about the findings of the report.
"I am not going (down) that road. I have an obligation to report to the minister and in due time to Parliament," he said.
However, sources close to The Gleaner revealed that the report will confirm that there were indeed irregularities, mismanagement and breaches of protocol at the state agency.
In March, the agency was rocked by charges of corruption and mismanagement of funds some of which were brought to the fore by an Auditor-General report.
Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sport, Portia Simpson Miller, immediately solicited the services of the Contractor-General, the Auditor-General, and also the Internal Audit Department of the Ministry to look into the allegations.
In addition to investigating irregularities surrounding the awarding of contracts, the Ministry of Local Government-commissioned inquiry was to look into spending that had thrust the agency into debt totalling $200 million, which included the purchase of five sports utility vehicles for employees without the Ministry's approval.
Among other duties, the office of the Contractor-General was commissioned to investigate suspected irregularities surrounding the construction of an access road that leads to the Riverton City landfill in St. Andrew.
The entire board of the agency, including its executive chairman Alston Stewart, resigned en bloc after an emergency meeting convened by Mrs. Simpson Miller.
