Dionne Rose, Parliamentary Reporter

SHAW

Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will be meeting within the next two weeks to discuss the US$41 million overrun at the controversial Sandals Whitehouse project, according to committee chairman Audley Shaw.

Mr. Shaw told The Gleaner on Monday that he had received directives from Auditor General Adrian Strachan on to how to proceed with the matter.

Last month Con-tractor General Greg Christie, in a report tabled in Parliament, presented findings of impropriety and a blatant disregard of Government's procedure on the hotel project in Westmoreland. He recommended the legislature ensure that public bodies and public officials who breach these procurement procedures be held accountable.

Mr. Shaw said he was still awaiting a report from a forensic audit team investigating the project, which should be completed soon, to proceed with the matter.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller had referred the matter to the PAC.

Implications

The Contractor General's 73-page report also implicated Dr. Vin Lawrence, then chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), which had been designated the project managers in 2001. Mr. Christie said the UDC had acted in conflict of interest in the award of some contracts on the project.

Of note was an $18.8 million contract that was awarded to Jentech Consultants Limited, a civil and structural engineering entity in which Dr. Lawrence is a long-standing shareholder and director.

Soon after the findings of the report were released, Dr. Lawrence resigned from the UDC board and all other state boards. A week later, he also tendered his resignation as treasurer of the governing People's National Party.