Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2022.
February 16, 2023
KINGSTON (Reuters) - Jamaica's anti-corruption agency has referred the prime minister to its director of prosecutions over government contracts awarded to a construction company between 2006 and 2009.
The Integrity Commission released a report on Wednesday referring to an investigation into a recommendation made by Prime Minister Andrew Holness for contracts with Westcon Construction Limited, citing a potential "conflict of interest".
Holness said in a statement that he "strongly disagree(s) with the findings of the Integrity Commission regarding conflict of interest based on mere associations".
A spokesperson for Westcon was not available for comment outside business hours.
Holness previously presided over the Ministry of Education, which awarded 10 contracts totaling almost JMD$22m ($140,000) over a two-year period to Westcon.
The commission said in its 107-page report that Westcon directors Robert Garvin and Donavan Simpson were "known to" Holness for a period of more than 20 years and had business links with him.
The company was awarded contracts with other government agencies.
The commission said its director of corruption prosecution should consider whether Holness breached a Contractor General Act and the Public Sector Procurement Regulations 2008 and the Corruption (Prevention Act).
Jamaica has long suffered from corruption among public officials and it consistently ranks low on an annual Corruption Perception Index compiled by the anti-corruption group Transparency International.
(Reporting by Kate Chapell; Editing by Isabel Woodford and Robert Birsel)
KINGSTON (Reuters) - Jamaica's anti-corruption agency has referred the prime minister to its director of prosecutions over government contracts awarded to a construction company between 2006 and 2009.
The Integrity Commission released a report on Wednesday referring to an investigation into a recommendation made by Prime Minister Andrew Holness for contracts with Westcon Construction Limited, citing a potential "conflict of interest".
Holness said in a statement that he "strongly disagree(s) with the findings of the Integrity Commission regarding conflict of interest based on mere associations".
A spokesperson for Westcon was not available for comment outside business hours.
Holness previously presided over the Ministry of Education, which awarded 10 contracts totaling almost JMD$22m ($140,000) over a two-year period to Westcon.
The commission said in its 107-page report that Westcon directors Robert Garvin and Donavan Simpson were "known to" Holness for a period of more than 20 years and had business links with him.
The company was awarded contracts with other government agencies.
The commission said its director of corruption prosecution should consider whether Holness breached a Contractor General Act and the Public Sector Procurement Regulations 2008 and the Corruption (Prevention Act).
Jamaica has long suffered from corruption among public officials and it consistently ranks low on an annual Corruption Perception Index compiled by the anti-corruption group Transparency International.
(Reporting by Kate Chapell; Editing by Isabel Woodford and Robert Birsel)
S.Korean prosecutors seek to arrest opposition leader in graft probe
South Korean prosecutors on Thursday requested an arrest warrant for the head of the main opposition Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung, in an investigation into development projects and bribery allegations. — Reuters file pic
Thursday, 16 Feb 2023
SEOUL, Feb 16 — South Korean prosecutors on Thursday requested an arrest warrant for the head of the main opposition Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung, in an investigation into development projects and bribery allegations.
Lee, a former Democratic presidential candidate, is accused of being in breach of his duty over losses of 489.5 billion won (RM1.68 billion) run up by Seongnam Development Corporation during his time as mayor of Seongnam city, prosecutors said.
Lee is also accused of demanding four companies to provide 13.3 billion won to Seongnam FC while he was serving as the head of the football club in return for unlawful administrative favours in what prosecutors described as bribery.
Lee, who was mayor of the city south of Seoul from 2010 to 2018, has denied any wrongdoing.
A Seoul court needs the 300-member parliament, where the Democrats hold a 169-seat majority, to waive Lee’s immunity from arrest to review the prosecution’s request.
The Democratic Party denounced prosecutors’ move, calling it an “unprecedented act of violence to incapacitate the opposition party and eliminate the president’s political enemy.”
Lee lost to President Yoon Suk-yeol, a former prosecutor-general, in the March presidential election by a margin of just 0.7 per cent.
South Korean prosecutors on Thursday requested an arrest warrant for the head of the main opposition Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung, in an investigation into development projects and bribery allegations. — Reuters file pic
Thursday, 16 Feb 2023
SEOUL, Feb 16 — South Korean prosecutors on Thursday requested an arrest warrant for the head of the main opposition Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung, in an investigation into development projects and bribery allegations.
Lee, a former Democratic presidential candidate, is accused of being in breach of his duty over losses of 489.5 billion won (RM1.68 billion) run up by Seongnam Development Corporation during his time as mayor of Seongnam city, prosecutors said.
Lee is also accused of demanding four companies to provide 13.3 billion won to Seongnam FC while he was serving as the head of the football club in return for unlawful administrative favours in what prosecutors described as bribery.
Lee, who was mayor of the city south of Seoul from 2010 to 2018, has denied any wrongdoing.
A Seoul court needs the 300-member parliament, where the Democrats hold a 169-seat majority, to waive Lee’s immunity from arrest to review the prosecution’s request.
The Democratic Party denounced prosecutors’ move, calling it an “unprecedented act of violence to incapacitate the opposition party and eliminate the president’s political enemy.”
Lee lost to President Yoon Suk-yeol, a former prosecutor-general, in the March presidential election by a margin of just 0.7 per cent.
— Reuters
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