Jamaican MP faces enquiry over public contract

(CNS): The contractor general in Jamaica has opened an investigation into public contracts awarded to a company owned by a family member of one of the country's MPs. The office will be examining the circumstances surrounding the award of a National Works Agency (NWA) job to contractors that were allegedly selected by Derrick Kellier, MP, one of which is a company that is owned by his brother. Greg Christie says documents now held by his office indicate at least one of the alleged contracts, in the sum of $270,000, was awarded by the NWA on the written instructions of the MP for South St. James to M & K Heavy Equipment Hireage, his brother’s firm.

M & K Heavy Equipment Hireage Co Ltd. is listed by the Registrar of Companies as a company that is 80% owned and controlled by Martin Kellier, who sits as the Peoples National Party (PNP) Councillor for the Welcome Hall Division of the St. James Southern Constituency. The Constituency is represented by his brother, Derrick Kellier, who is a PNP Member of Parliament and the government minister for labour.

According to a release from Christie’s office, staff from the NWA’s St. James office have also alleged that contractors were selected by the MP, who had provided the names of the contractors on the work programme which was sent to the implementing agency. The preliminary enquiry into the issue was triggered by a written complaint and allegation sent to Christie’s office in July 20 from a concerned citizen.

The OCG said itis also in possession of other official documents which establish that another government contract for $840,000 was awarded last year to the same firm, which matched a request by Kellier MP for $840,000 from his Constituency Development Fund to carry out local emergency road works.

Christie said this week that his office’s investigation will seek to examine the particulars of the contracts that have been subjected to the alleged arrangement, whether government procurement procedures were followed and whether the contracts were awarded impartially and on merit, without  impropriety or irregularity and if any other laws or regulations were contravened.