Red flags raised about Parliament's procurement of AC units

 

 

 

Concerns were raised during Tuesday's sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over the failure of the Houses of Parliament to follow proper procedures in the acquisition of several air conditioning units. 

 

The Auditor General conducted a special audit of Parliament after a whistleblower raised red flags about several issues including the use of fleet vehicle, the use of a credit card and the procurement of air conditioning units.

 

The Auditor General found that there was no formal contract, purchase order, inventory record of physical verification in the purchase.

 

PAC Chairman Julian Robinson said the failure to follow the procedures laid out is of grave concern. 

 

"I believe this person would have been trying to solve a problem which existed and was moving quickly. But the absence of controls or adequate controls means that that person could abuse the system. That's the challenge. And so, clearly, he was buying ACs because the ACs had broken down and there was a need. But again, when you raise the issue of your absence, it's a red flag for me because your absence shouldn't be an issue because somebody deputises for you; there's a process that somebody should follow that should be signed off before somebody can commit funds on behalf of the Parliament. So the challenge is ensuring that the process is in place that somebody doesn't go out on a frolic of his own," he suggested. 

 

In accepting the findings, Clerk of the Houses of Parliament, Colleen Lowe, pointed to the rationale for the purchase. 

 

"He gave two reasons. One is that at the time of acquisition, the applicable single source procurement threshold for goods was J$1.5 million on all five transactions. And to avoid monies being returned to the Ministry of Finance, he...." said Ms. Lowe before being interrupted by the PAC chairman. 

 

"So he was trying to spend the money so that he would not have to return it, and there was a clear need for the AC units, and it was below the threshold?" Mr. Robinson questioned, to which Ms. Lowe responded: "Correct." 

 

In the meantime, the Clerk of the Houses of Parliament has affirmed Parliament's commitment to transparency, accountability, and institutional renewal.

 

In a release issued after her appearance before the PAC, Ms. Lowe said since the audit, the Houses of Parliament has embarked on a clear programme of reform aimed at strengthening internal systems and restoring public confidence. 

 

Ms. Lowe said the measures include the establishment of an Audit Committee to enhance oversight and accountability, improvements to procurement planning and budget management, and the implementation of more rigorous fleet management and asset control arrangements under the direct supervision of a newly appointed Transport Manager.

 

She stated that these actions reflect a renewed institutional focus on discipline, compliance, and good governance.