Formal publication of Special Report to parliament concerning the posture of the cabinet with respect to lawful requisitions of the OCG

Kingston; January 15, 2013 – The Office of the Contractor-General’s (OCG) Special Report concerning the posture of the Cabinet of Jamaica, as it regards certain OCG lawful Requisitions, was today tabled in the House of Representatives, subsequent to being tabled in the Senate on December 14, 2012. In the interest of transparency and pursuant to Section 28 (4) of the Contractor General Act, the OCG, as is customary, has published its 28 page Special Report and its 51 supporting Exhibits on its website at www.ocg.gov.jm for public download, review and scrutiny.

The OCG strongly encourages the Media and the Public to read the full contents of its Report in an effort to develop a fully informed, objective and independent position on this matter, which is of national importance and dire consequence, especially as it regards the principles of good governance, transparency and accountability.

In an earlier Media Statement which was issued by the OCG on December 13, 2012, the public was informed that the OCG had completed and submitted a Special Report to the Houses of Parliament of Jamaica, in which it expressed and documented its grave concerns with the failure of the Cabinet of Jamaica and/or the Office of the Cabinet, over the last seven (7) months, to comply with several lawful Statutory Requisitions. The OCG Requisitions were issued, in respect of the provision of information relating to, among other things, four (4) major projects which were and/or are being pursued by the Government.

The OCG, on January 2, 2013, referred the Cabinet of Jamaica to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for breaches of Section 29 of the Contractor General Act, after exercising due care and based upon the legal recourse which is available to it. The OCG’s actions were buttressed by a Legal Opinion which was provided by Queen’s Counsel, Jacqueline Samuels-Brown regarding, ‘liability under law and the person or persons who can be properly referred for criminal action, pursuant to Section 29 of the Contractor General Act should the Cabinet fail to provide requested information by the Contractor General pursuant to his powers and his responsibilities under the Contractor General Act’.