By Robert Hart, Staff ReporterMINISTER OF Information Burchell Whiteman is quashing suggestions that any specific individual or set of individuals should be blamed for the circumstances leading to a $12 billion award to the Ezroy Millwood-led National Transport Co-operative Society (NTCS).
"When decisions are taken they are collective decisions taken by Cabinet. Certainly the Cabinet will review all the processes that went in but I am not into the business of attempting to suggest there is blame to be attached to anyone or any set of persons at this time," he told journalists during yesterday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
Minister Whiteman's statement came just a day after Leader of the Opposition Edward Seaga charged Audley Shaw, the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) spokesman on finance, with the responsibility of uncovering who was responsible for the "mistake" which led to the award of damages for Government's breach of the NTCS bus franchise agreement.
It has been reported that Mr. Seaga, speaking at Sunday's
meeting of the JLP's Area council Four in Montego Bay, St James, hinted that the blame lay squarely at the feet of either the Transport Minister, who was at that time Dr. Peter Phillips (the current Minister of National Security), or the Attorney-General who should have advised him on the matter.
Minister Whiteman reiterated yesterday, an announcement made Friday by Minister of Transport and Works, Robert Pickersgill. Minister Pickersgill had said the Government would likely be pursuing a judicial review of the arbitration award of $4 billion, for the years 1995 to 2001, and interest calculated from the end of each accounting year at the Treasury Bill and commercial bank rates.
However, the Information Minister also hinted that the Government would be seriously stretched if forced to make the payment.
"Simple observation and calculation of numbers would suggest that while a government is always bound by the law to pay what is required of it, that figure which is before us was clearly not in contemplation at all in preparing the budget under which we are now operating," Minister Whiteman said.
The Cabinet sub-committee looking into the matter is to meet again this week and should make a final report to Cabinet next Monday. At that time an official course of action will be decided on by the Government.
