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St. Ann Municipal Corporation Office of the Contractor General November 2017
contrary to public procurement best practices. Further, the informality of signing a
contract/agreement after the execution of works is a corruption enabling practice.
10. The OCG concludes that the instances where the rates and quantities are not stated by the St. Ann
Municipal Corporation on the contract document amounts to a disregard for the principles of
transparency which ought to obtain in the preparation of such documents, with the result that the
OCG is unable to determine whether value for money was achieved. The foregoing failure, on the
part of the St. Ann Municipal Corporation, is also in breach of the GOJ procurement policy which
holds as a key fundamental, the attainment of value for money in the award of government
contracts.
11. The failure of the St. Ann Municipal Corporation to locate and produce the justification for the
award of contract in twenty-five (25) specific instances amounts to a breach of the GOJ
procurement guidelines. Section A8.22
PROCUREMENT RECORD KEEPING
establishes,
inter alia
, the following:
“
It is critical that transparent procedures be established, so
that the entire procurement process may be traced from
beginning to end
. This can be achieved through proper
record keeping.
Without prejudice, the method of storage, and in accordance
with the Financial Administration and Audit Act,
the
Procuring Entity shall maintain records of each contract
awarded for a minimum period of seven (7) years.
The
Procurement process and expenditure records, although
entrusted to the safekeeping of accounting officers are the
property of the Ministry of Finance, and shall be made
available promptly to the Ministry upon request…
”
(OCG
Emphasis)