Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
SANCTIONS FOR the recently revealed breaches of the Government's procurement guidelines are looming over the heads of officers stationed at the Portmore Municipal Council and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC).
In response to the damning Contractor-General's report that found irregularities at the local authorities, Dean Peart, Minister of Local Government and Environment, has ordered his permanent secretary to immediately write to officers at the two councils demanding an explanation for the breaches.
At the same time, the Local Government Minister revealed that, as a result of the Contractor-General's revelations, greater monitoring of all local authorities would be undertaken.
The proposed improved monitoring process would, among other things, include "random auditing of the local authorities and agencies without prior notice".
Minister Peart told The Gleaner yesterday that mayors and councillors did not have the autonomy to award contracts. Therefore the officers, including the town clerk, at the local authorities must give an explanation for the breaches that occurred.
"They have to give me a proper report and, based on that, now we will take action," Mr. Peart said.
He added: "They are the ac-counting officers and I want to know how they give out this work."
NO NINE-DAY WONDER
Minister Peart gave the assurance that the Contractor-General's findings would not be another nine-day wonder. "It is not the end of it, but I have to be clear on what I am doing," he explained.
Additionally, the Local Gov-ernment Minister unequivocally stated that, after the pending reports are received and re-viewed, sanctions would be handed down where necessary.
Since the release of the Contractor-General's report, Minister Peart has met with
mayors McKenzie and Lee to examine the recommendations with the intention of preventing a recurrence.
Minister Peart said he had a zero tolerance approach to any form of corruption. He emphatically stated that anyone involved in corruption would face the full force of the law.
