OCG to probe award of airport security contract

CONTRACTOR GENERAL Greg Christie has launched a special investigation into the award of security services at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA).

Protection and Security, whose principal, Dennis Morgan, sits on the board of the NMIA and the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ), won a $149-million contract for the provision of landside security at NMIA, but the deal is too close for comfort for Guardsman Limited, one of the losing bidders.

In explaining the need for the special investigation, Christie said Guardsman complained to his office "that Protection and Security, having a member on the board of NMIA, would have privileged information about the tender process which would not be available to outsiders and, as such, presents a conflict of interest".

However, Morgan told The Gleaner yesterday that he maintained "a Chinese curtain" between his business and his role on the board of NMIA.

"I acted in total accordance with what is ethical and normal practice," he said.

no access to info

He said he was "in no way" worried about the investigation that has been launched by Christie and added that he at no point had access to classified information in the bidding process.

"I have no idea. I just didn't participate in any of that. In fact, it was the attorney that called me two days ago and told me that we won. I did not know any of that," Morgan said.

Although NMIA contracted Protection and Security, by virtue of it falling under the AAJ, the bids had to be approved by the board of the AAJ.

Mark Hart, who chairs the AAJ board, told The Gleaner the team he leads was "extremely confident that all procedures have been complied with".

According to the OCG, while the NMIA set its comparable estimate at approximately $198.5 million, Protection and Security's bid came in at $149.9 million. The OCG said the final bids of the other four tenderers were $184.9 million, $187 million, $207 million and $209 million.

However, Hart maintained that the process was in no way tainted.

awaiting confirmation

Meanwhile, the OCG said it wrote to Earl Richards, the president of the AAJ, on Wednesday, seeking information on the contract and was told that the AAJ was awaiting confirmation of Cabinet's decision as it was advised the matter would have been considered last Monday.

While he embarks on the investigation, Christie has lamented that adjusting the procurement rules could help remove the semblance of conflicts on interest in the award of contracts.

Last night, Kenny Benjamin, CEO of Guardsman Group, told The Gleaner his company, which has held the airport security contract for at least five years, had poured resources into having its personnel receive specifically required qualifications for the job. He claimed those qualifications did not form part of the criteria in the bidding process despite being required under international agreements.