Senior officials at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) are still tight-lipped on details of the investigations currently under way into the latest allegations of corruption and wanton spending at the state-owned garbage collection agency.

Dean Peart, Minister of Local Government and Environment, and Errol Greene executive director at the NSWMA, on Monday referred The Gleaner to Ethlyn Norton-Coke, chairperson of the board of the NSWMA, for further information after both were skimpy on details.

However, in an interview with The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre yesterday morning, Mrs. Norton-Coke declined to comment on the reported allegations.

Fraud Squad called in

Her reluctance to comment comes after reports surfaced on Monday that the Fraud Squad was called in by the agency's board to investigate the questionable spending of about $20 million in less than a year.

She said she was not prepared to comment on the issue until the investigations regarding the matter of contract compliance are completed.

Auditors have also been called in to go through the agency's books that contain information on activities from Kingston to Montego Bay where it is alleged most of the impropriety took place.

Highly placed sources told The Gleaner that Mr. Greene, who is on vacation leave, was called into an emergency meeting at the Local Government and Environment Ministry Monday morning.

Mr. Peart confirmed that the meeting took place, but refused to provide details.

Mr. Greene also declined to comment on the issue until the investigations are completed.