Blythe
WATER AND Housing Minister, Dr. Karl Blythe, has moved to head off a potential scandal bringing forward to today, a press conference originally scheduled for tomorrow, to explain the circumstances of a reported $35 million overpayment on a Government project.
He is also expected to give an explanation for the resignation of Christopher Honeywell, managing director of the National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC), and the suspension of Warren Sibbles, the NHDC's chief technical director.
According to a Gleaner source, Sibbles was suspended after it was discovered he had made an overpayment on a contract. "What happened was he made a request for payment that was over and above where the work had reached at that point in time," the source said.
On Tuesday night Opposition spokesman on finance, Audley Shaw, reported that Sibbles was fired but ordered reinstated by Dr. Blythe. Government sources now insist that Sibbles was suspended pending the outcome of an investigation. "There is absolutely no ministerial interference. The Minister has nothing to do with it," claimed a source close to the Minister.
Mr. Shaw alleged that Mr. Honeywell resigned because he had refused to endorse the payment of an additional $35 million for a project which had already been paid for. Ministry sources refused to comment on the $35 million, deferring to the Minister.
According to Shaw, Honeywell resigned after the Minister insisted that Sibbles who reportedly authorised the payment and who was dismissed by him (Honeywell), be reinstated.
The amount reportedly forms part of a $400 million contract which Shaw claims is illegal because it bypassed the National Contracts Commission (NCC).
Today's press conference to "clear the air" takes place at Breezes Hotel, Montego Bay at noon.
The NHDC was incorporated in 1998, and manages the affairs of Operation PRIDE, the Govern-ment's resettlement programme aimed at providing low-income housing for thousands of Jamaicans.
It was rocked with controversy in 2000 when it was revealed that multimillion dollar contracts were being awarded without the approval of the NCC. The Opposition Jamaica Labour Party charged then that the contracts were being awarded to known supporters of the ruling People's National Party (PNP).
