The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has until today to provide documentary evidence to the Contractor General to prove that consultants engaged in the controversial Sandals Whitehouse project were hired prior to the establishment of public sector procurement guidelines.

In a letter addressed to the UDC and tabled at yesterday's sitting of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, the Contractor General, Greg Christie, challenged the statements of the UDC.

The statements were made in a full-page advertisement published in The Gleaner on Wednesday, September 6, one day after the tabling of the forensic audit report into the US$43 million cost overruns on the Sandals Whitehouse project.

Mr. Christie's letter said that he had copies of authentic UDC documents which materially challenge the accuracy of the assertion made in the advertisement.

Evidence

"An example, and as you must know, we possess evidence which unequivocally confirms that Jentech Consultants Ltd., Nevalco Consultants Ltd., Environmental Solutions Ltd., Hospitality Purveyors Incorporation, Smith Warner International and Goldson Barrett Johnson were all offered engagements as project consultants, by the UDC, by way of letters, which were dated October 24, 2001".

Mr. Christie further stated that he was "extremely disturbed" by the statements made by the UDC, which he said were a deliberate attempt to mislead the public on the matter of its procurement activities as they relate to the Sandals Whitehouse project.

"Also, in view of your statement to The Gleaner and further to the powers which are reserved to me under the Contractor General Act, I would respectfully request that you provide to us, within five business days of the date of this letter (September 6), documentary evidence to establish that which you have asserted," the letter said.

Criminal charges

Members of the UDC board could face criminal charges if they fail to comply with the request of the Contractor General. Under Section 29 of the Contractor General's Act, any person who willingly makes any false statement to mislead or attempts to mislead the Contractor General or fails to comply with any lawful requirement of the Contractor General shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or be imprisoned for a term not exceeding 12 months.

In the meantime, PAC Chairman Audley Shaw wants the report provided by the UDC board to the Prime Minister to be made public and sent to the PAC.

"Having regard to what has been revealed, this alarming letter from the Contractor General to the UDC, what assurance do we have that the report that the board has presented to the Prime Minister is not in itself misleading the Prime Minister or in extension misleading the country?" he asked.

- D.R.