ANDREW HOLNESS, Jamaica Labour Party MP for West Central St. Andrew, has moved a resolution in the House calling for the Operation PRIDE project to be thoroughly examined by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.
Mr. Holness moved the resolution in the House on Tuesday against the background of continuing public debate about corruption and mismanagement of the Operation PRIDE schemes.
Recently Prime Minister P.J. Patterson told the House that he accepted a report done by former Solicitor-General, Dr. Kenneth Rattray which cleared former Housing Minister, Dr. Karl Blythe of any wrongdoing in the Operation PRIDE scandal.
The Rattray report contradicts a previous report done
by a three-member Commission headed by Erwin Angus. The Angus Commission which was set up by the Prime Minister last year following allegations of mismanagement of
the Operation PRIDE scheme, painted a troubling picture of Dr. Blythe.
According to the Angus report, Dr. Blythe routinely interfered in the day-to-day operation of the Operation PRIDE projects and in some cases breached basic administrative guidelines.
The report fuelled an already brewing scandal and led to Dr. Blythe's resignation as the Minister.
However, Dr. Rattray, in his report, pointed out that the Housing Act defined the Minister as a Corporation Sole, which meant that he had the power to intervene in the day-to-day administration of housing project.
However, Mr. Holness said that the existence of two contradictory reports in the public domain makes it difficult to determine who is responsible for the mismanagement of Operation PRIDE scheme.
According to him, a thorough examination of the Operation PRIDE project was necessary to ensure proper public administration and good governance.
