Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

The Government has found itself with an unlikely ally in its battle with the Office of the Contractor General over a Cabinet decision to exempt four entities from the guidelines regarding the issuing of contracts.

It appears that the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) will be siding with the Bruce Golding administration, despite the criticisms from Contractor General Greg Christie.

Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Dr Omar Davies, yesterday made it clear that the PNP understood the reasons behind the Cabinet decision and would not be opposing it.

"They (the Cabinet) are not saying you can do anything you want but, under certain circumstances, you can do sole sourcing without having to go through the bid process. So if we don't oppose it, you must understand why," Davies said as he responded to a PNP supporter during a meeting of the party's Region Three at The Mico University College yesterday.

Davies hit a note similar to that of Finance Minister Audley Shaw as he further explained what may have guided the Opposition's position.

"In certain instances, where firms are involved in certain competitive activities, that rule (the procurement guidelines) can throw them out of business and it is for that reason those exemptions are being made," Davies added.

According to the former finance minister, the Government's contract guidelines, if followed to the letter, would be inimical to the sustainability of some organisations.

"Like Air Jamaica flying the A300 Airbus and something happens to a door, what they have to do is to get that door immediately. They cannot say bring me three bids for that door, they have to immediately fix the door," Davies argued.

Slammed

The Government and the Office of the Contractor General have been at odds since last Thursday when Christie slammed the Golding administration over its decision to exempt Air Jamaica, Petrojam, Jamaica Tourist Board and Jamaica Vacations Limited from the application of the rules governing the awarding of contracts.

On Friday, Shaw responded, charging that the Office of the Contractor General was well aware of the special circumstances which caused the Cabinet to decide to exempt the entities from the Government Procurement Procedures Handbook.

According to Shaw, compliance with the procurement procedures was imposing severe constraints on the ability of the entities to conduct their businesses efficiently.

Shaw argued that, although classified as public groups, entities such as Air Jamaica and Petrojam are commercial entities operating to make a profit in a competitive environment.

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com