Christie to probe Jamaica independence bash in UK

| 02/09/2012

Greg-Christie-2_w370.jpg(CNS): Jamaica’s contractor general is undergoing a review of the public money spent on the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary Celebrations, in particular those that took place in the UK. Greg Christie said that as a result of a number of allegations made to his office of “irregular and improper government spending, and 'nepotism', in respect of the Independence Celebrations” and the public disquiet over the alleged lack of information on the public money spent in the United Kingdom, the OCG has written to Robert Martin, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Culture, asking for all the relevant documents.

“The OCG has requested a copy of the approved budget for the Jamaica 50 Anniversary Celebrations, together with a full accounting in respect of each budget line item to include (a) the particulars of all contracts that were awarded, (b) the names of the respective contractors, (c) the values of the respective contracts, (d) the procurement methodologies that were utilized and, (e) the locations at which the contracts were performed,” the OCG said in a release this week.

As well as examining whether the public got value for money, Christie will be looking at the alleged one million pounds sterling (£1,000,000) which was spent on the London-based Independence Celebrations; air transportation expenditures from Jamaica to the United Kingdom and back; and accommodation expenditures within the UK, as well as the various contracts related to the celebrations.

“In the interest of public transparency, the OCG will table the results of its review in Parliament,” said Christie.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Come to Cayman Mtr.Christie….our govt. will keep you VERY busy.

  2. We didn't start the fire says:

    “irregular and improper government spending, and 'nepotism',

    These can be used to describe procedures in most governments. And we take it as a matter of course.  Politics it seems, will always be open to corruption, and our only hope is that they leave something for us besides more debt.  In other words, we take it for granted that's the way it is.  And we also hope that somewhere in that quagmire there is someone with enough integrity who says something and does something.  Because they can not stomach it. Jamaica appears to have that someone. One small glimmer of light.  Politicians on Cayman should be ashamed they don't have the balls to stop what has been happening.

  3. Anonymous says:

    My goodness me! Thank God we don't have Mr Christie or someone like him in Cayman wasting all our time. I mean, imagine, he has nothing better to do than look into all the money that his government has allegedly spent illegally or inappropriately on something. Happily, we do not have that problem here in Cayman as our government does not spend inappropriately like that.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Hear that KeKe?  When is our OCG investigating trips (Kenya, Vegas, Panama, etc)?

  5. SKEPTICAL says:

    Looks like they have been taking lessons with the Cayman government – or, is it the other way round ?

  6. Anonymous says:

    Please can we have a person to investigate improper spnding on "official travel"?

    Actually this wont happen becuse the person would need to be a department, and that goes against the S reduction.

    Bush ins, ayman loses again!