The Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has severely criticised the Government for pressing ahead with plans to involve the GEASO Monitoring Committee in a review of the GEASO Health Scheme contract award decision-making process, charging that it breaches government procurement guidelines.

In a statement yesterday, the OCG said this move would inflict "grave and irreparable harm to the integrity of the public sector procurement process and the independent commissions established by law to monitor and regulate the award of government contracts."

Further, it states: "That the Cabinet and the Ministry of Finance have therefore chosen to proceed in a manner, which the ministry itself has conceded in writing would be 'contrary to the ministry's, the Government's and the Cabinet's stand on the matter', has raised very serious concerns about the credibility of the Government's undertakings and its willingness to abide by the rule of law."

The OCG statement comes against the background of the decision of the Finance Ministry to recommend that the Government health scheme contract should be awarded to Life of Jamaica Limited. However, following strong objections from the GEASO Monitoring Committee to the selection of a health provider without its input, the Cabinet instructed that the group be part of the process.

Review process

But the OCG charged that the review process, which will commence shortly, would take place outside of the "ambit of the Government's procurement procedures and contrary to the provisions of the Contractor General Act."

In this regard, the OCG said that neither the process nor any contract award arising from the review would receive support from the Commission of the Contractor General.