By Andrew Clunis
Political service demands accountability, transparency and integrity.
It simply means that if you are to serve, you must be a cut above the rest.
This matter involving the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) and the use of its tax exemption status to the benefit of at least four private companies is rather nasty and grotty.
The Public Accounts Committee revealed yesterday the names of the companies which were beneficiaries of this gross act of misconduct by the UHWI.
JACDEN, a company owned by PNP official and Member of Parliament Dennis Gordon is one such company named in the report that was produced by the Auditor General’s Department. Gordon is also Chairman of the PNP’s Region 3.
Mr Gordon has continued to maintain silence on the matter and Opposition Leader Mark Golding has refused to take firm and decisive action in the face of the allegations.
These matters should not be politicised but this is simply not good enough and it has led to the issuing of a statement by Young Jamaica, the youth arm of the governing JLP.
“Young Jamaica, take note of confirmation during yesterday’s sitting of the PAC that JACDEN Limited is among the multi-million dollar beneficiaries of what a recent report from the Auditor General revealed to be the unlawful and inappropriate use of the tax exemption status of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI),” the youth arm said in a statement.
It was revealed that the tax exemption status was used in the purchase and importation of items, including dialysis machines, which were immediately transported to the premises of JACDEN.
“This unlawful use of the UHWI’s tax exemption status, which is now the subject of separate investigations by the Integrity Commission and the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), has deprived Jamaican taxpayers of millions of dollars, which could have been used to provide vital services to the public,” Young Jamaica added.
The group said that the UHWI revealed during the PAC meeting on Tuesday that taxpayers will be called upon to pay for the breaches from which JACDEN was an unlawful, multi-million dollar beneficiary.
“Young Jamaica is of the view that, given his company’s status as a prime beneficiary of the unlawful use of UHWI’s tax exemption privilege and the additional burden the unlawful arrangement has placed on taxpayers, Dennis Gordon’s positions both as Member of Parliament, PNP Region 3 Chairman and PAC Member are all untenable.
“Consequently, Young Jamaica calls on Gordon to immediately resign from all three positions with immediate effect,” Young Jamaica continued.
For starters Mr. Gordon should recuse himself from the PAC. He can’t be seen to be policing himself. He has not denied that he is the Chairman and owner of JACDEN and so he must ‘tek weh himself”.
We have seen politicians in other countries go down for far less than this. JACDEN is not the only company involved but we must hold politicians to a higher standard and we hope that the investigating agencies will move apace to resolve this matter. Golding said to let the chips fall where they may but for his own integrity he should ask Gordon to resign or at the very least step aside until the matter is resolved.
The entire UHWI Board should also do the same thing as well as the staff that is responsible for procurement and any other staff found to have been negligent or compliant in the entire exercise/
When you think of the fact that it is dialysis machines that are at the centre of this it makes the stench more putrid. Kidney disease is one of most devastating ailments that can beset mankind. And there are not nearly enough machines in the island to treat the thousands of persons who must face dialysis on a weekly or monthly basis. Those machines acquired by JACDEN should have found their way into the public health system. How does one feel comfortable profiting off the backs of such crushing human suffering?
Mr Gordon should step aside now so that the investigations may be clean and free from any influence he may be able to bring to bear on those undertaking them.