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<span style="font-weight: bold">News Source: OTGNR - </span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : GOV ' T FAILS TO COM...'HOUSE HOTEL...</span>
MEDIA RELEASE GOVERNMENT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH OCG REQUISITION REGARDINGALLEGATIONS OF SECRET TALKS FOR SALE OF SANDALS WHITEHOUSE HOTEL Kingston; January 07, 2011: The Government of Jamaica has failed to comply with a lawful StatutoryRequisition of the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) to provide to it a broad range of information anddocumentation on the particulars of negotiations, for the sale of the Sandals Whitehouse Hotel to the SandalsHotel Chain, in which it's functionaries have allegedly been secretly engaged. The formal Requisition, which was directed by the OCG to Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Douglas Saunders,on December 13, 2010, and copied to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, should have been compliedwith by the close of business on Wednesday, December 29, 2010. However, by way of a letter that was dated December 28, and received by the OCG on December 29,Ambassador Saunders requested an extension of time to Thursday, January 6, 2011. The extension was grantedin writing, by the OCG, immediately upon its receipt of the Cabinet Secretary's letter. Notwithstanding, asat the time of this Media Release, the Government has not lived up to its undertaking nor has it contacted theOCG. The OCG has enjoyed a mutually respectful and highly cooperative relationship with the Cabinet Secretaryand will not speculate as to the reasons why its Requisition has not been complied with. The OCG, however,expects that the matter will be satisfactorily resolved and will, as a next step, issue to the Government astandard demand letter. The OCG, as an Independent Anti-Corruption Commission of the Parliament of Jamaica, is fully committed tothe faithful discharge of its Statutory mandate to secure probity and propriety in the divestment of all publiclyowned assets. The OCG will seek to ensure that any intended divestment of the Sandals Whitehouse Hotel isnot only executed in a manner which is transparent and above board, but in a manner which will secure to theJamaican People an independently determined, arms-length value for its substantial stake in the asset. The OCG remains very concerned and disturbed about the fact that the inferred negotiations, regarding thepossible sale of the hotel, were proceeding without prior disclosure by the Administration. This is despite thefact that a formal request was made to the Government from as early as January 14, 2010 for the Governmentto furnish to the OCG "a comprehensive list of all assets that are slated for divestment for the financial year2010/2011". The OCG believes that it is an inherent responsibility of every democratic Government to understand andaccept that major commercial decisions which involve the money and patrimony of the State's subjects cannotand should not be made without their prior knowledge and scrutiny.
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : GOV ' T FAILS TO COM...'HOUSE HOTEL...</span>
MEDIA RELEASE GOVERNMENT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH OCG REQUISITION REGARDINGALLEGATIONS OF SECRET TALKS FOR SALE OF SANDALS WHITEHOUSE HOTEL Kingston; January 07, 2011: The Government of Jamaica has failed to comply with a lawful StatutoryRequisition of the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) to provide to it a broad range of information anddocumentation on the particulars of negotiations, for the sale of the Sandals Whitehouse Hotel to the SandalsHotel Chain, in which it's functionaries have allegedly been secretly engaged. The formal Requisition, which was directed by the OCG to Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Douglas Saunders,on December 13, 2010, and copied to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, should have been compliedwith by the close of business on Wednesday, December 29, 2010. However, by way of a letter that was dated December 28, and received by the OCG on December 29,Ambassador Saunders requested an extension of time to Thursday, January 6, 2011. The extension was grantedin writing, by the OCG, immediately upon its receipt of the Cabinet Secretary's letter. Notwithstanding, asat the time of this Media Release, the Government has not lived up to its undertaking nor has it contacted theOCG. The OCG has enjoyed a mutually respectful and highly cooperative relationship with the Cabinet Secretaryand will not speculate as to the reasons why its Requisition has not been complied with. The OCG, however,expects that the matter will be satisfactorily resolved and will, as a next step, issue to the Government astandard demand letter. The OCG, as an Independent Anti-Corruption Commission of the Parliament of Jamaica, is fully committed tothe faithful discharge of its Statutory mandate to secure probity and propriety in the divestment of all publiclyowned assets. The OCG will seek to ensure that any intended divestment of the Sandals Whitehouse Hotel isnot only executed in a manner which is transparent and above board, but in a manner which will secure to theJamaican People an independently determined, arms-length value for its substantial stake in the asset. The OCG remains very concerned and disturbed about the fact that the inferred negotiations, regarding thepossible sale of the hotel, were proceeding without prior disclosure by the Administration. This is despite thefact that a formal request was made to the Government from as early as January 14, 2010 for the Governmentto furnish to the OCG "a comprehensive list of all assets that are slated for divestment for the financial year2010/2011". The OCG believes that it is an inherent responsibility of every democratic Government to understand andaccept that major commercial decisions which involve the money and patrimony of the State's subjects cannotand should not be made without their prior knowledge and scrutiny.