Background of controversy posted on jamaicanmusics.com

Opposition Leader Andrew Holness raised concerns on the misuse of the National Symbols in particularly the Jamaican flag.

The Opposition Leader referred to an image which had Education Minister Rev. Ronald Thwaites super imposed on the Jamaican flag which appeared on book markers given to students in celebration of the 50th year of Independence recently.

Mr. Holness wrote to Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller pointing out that resources were wasted in the recall and reprinting of book markers along with the Education Ministry’s failure to follow civic protocols in regards to the use of national symbols.

Holness called on PM Simpson-Miller to quickly intervene in the matter and also added that he will be bring the issue to the Governor General.

However in a response the Education Minister stated that the Opposition Leader was being mischievous and that the incorrect printing of the book markers was a honest mistake. Grace Mclean the Acting Head of the Education Ministry’s Permanent Secretary stated that the faulty book markers should not have been distributed and an internal investigation will be done.

For more go to http://jamaicanmusics.com/2012/08/2012-controversy-over-misuse-of-jamaican-flag-on-book-markers/

OCG Commences Enquiry into Procurement of Bookmarkers by the Ministry of Education

Kingston, Jamaica; August 10, 2012 – Acting under the powers that are invested in it by the Contractor General Act, the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has this morning written to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education (MOE), Ms. Grace McLean, to formally requisition the particulars of the MOE’s alleged procurement of bookmarkers upon which a photograph of the Minister of Education, the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, was reportedly superimposed over an impression of the Jamaican flag.

The OCG’s decision comes on the heels of public complaints which have been issued by the Parliamentary Opposition regarding the matter, and follows an RJR news report this morning which has alleged that the MOE Permanent Secretary has refused to disclose the costs at which the souvenirs were procured, as well as the identity of the printing contractor to whom the contract was awarded.

Included among the particulars which have been formally requisitioned from the MOE, are the following:

(a) The tender procedures which were utilized by the MOE to execute the procurement;

(b) The persons at the MOE who were involved in the development, approval and/or issue of the relevant tender and procurement instructions;

(c)  The printing instructions and the printing template that were issued by the MOE to the contractor or contractors who were invited to tender for the award of the contract;

(d) The identity of the contractor or contractors who were invited to tender for the award of the referenced contract; and

(e) The value of the contract that was awarded by the MOE.

The OCG’s letter, which was copied to the Minister of Education, the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, requires that the Permanent Secretary must fully comply with the terms of the OCG’s Requisitions by 12:00 noon on Friday, August 17, 2012.

One of the key foundation pillars of Good Governance in Government, by which the OCG has always been guided, is not just transparency in the affairs of Government, but that Public Accounting and Accountable Officers are trustees of the Taxpayers money and must, therefore, at all times, be held accountable to the Taxpayers whose interest they serve.

Upon the conclusion of its Enquiry, the OCG will, in short order, submit a formal report of its Findings to the Parliament of Jamaica.

Please see Jamaican Gleaner story that speaks about the same complaint:

CONTRACTOR GENERAL Greg Christie has hopped into the fray as the Opposition intensifies pressure on a noticeably silent Portia Simpson Miller-led Government that has found itself enmeshed in yet another national flag flop.

A fresh bout of controversy erupted early this week in the midst of the Independence celebration when it was revealed that the face of Education Minister Ronald Thwaites appeared on an image of the black, green and gold flag, on bookmarkers, stirring a rage of angry commentaries on the social network, Facebook.

Complaints have also surfaced in the public domain over the willingness of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to rush to the airwaves in the aftermath of Olympic events in which Jamaicans have been successful and her contrasting unwillingness to speak on any of the flag issues or other controversies.

Opposition Leader Andrew Holness has also weighed in on the latest flag episode. He has expressed “grave concerns” in a letter to Simpson Miller.

The Opposition also welcomed the decision by the OCG to probe the issue. Opposition Spokesperson on Education and Human Resource Development, Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert had called for Christie’s intervention.

For the whole article go to:

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120811/news/news1.html