CONTRACTOR General Dirk Harrison, has rejected as false, allegations that influential members of the governing People’s National Party (PNP) have instructed him to hold off on investigations into the controversial awarding of contracts in St Ann South Eastern until after the February 25 General Elections.

Youth and Culture Minister Lisa Hanna is the member of parliament (MP) for the rural constituency that has gone through a political firestorm in recent times.

“Your question is very interesting but at no time at all since I have been in office, March being three years, have I been instructed by anyone to hold off on any investigation or to treat any investigation any particular way. Not the South East St Ann investigation and no other investigation,” Harrison told the Jamaica Observer when quizzed on the matter.

Last October, the Observer reported that Hanna was personally served with a summons to appear before the contractor general for questioning, regarding investigations into the awarding of contracts in the constituency she currently chairs. Harrison said over 30 persons have been summoned in regards to this investigation.

“The investigation is ongoing and the important thing about the investigation is that [it] spans three years. We have been gathering information [from] 2012, 2013, and 2014 and there are a number of persons who have been summoned and who are still to be summoned. So it’s a lot of information, a lot of volume and with other investigations, and with other monetary duties that we do, it is time consuming but the investigation is ongoing,” Harrison insisted when asked about the delay. The Observer has since learnt that near 30 contractors are involved in the matter.

“It (findings of the report) certainly will [come to light],” Harrison assured. “No investigation that I have ever done has been hidden, this one certainly is no different. I am doing my job as I have done it for the past three years and as I did as a public servant all my life. Nothing would ever be buried,” he said, adding “ …Things take time and we are still working on it.” He added that his office currently monitors 197 Government agencies and so some investigations will take a longer time than others.

Hanna’s stewardship of the constituency came under heavy scrutiny throughout much of last year. During that time, the Government minister faced strong opposition from three of four councillors from the St Ann Parish Council, including Councillor for the Bensonton Division Lydia Richards who, in September, challenged her for the right to represent the PNP in upcoming parliamentary elections. Richards’ challenge fizzled as Hanna was returned as the candidate.

The two-term MP’s stewardship again came under the microscope following a protest over the non-paving of the grounds at Prickly Pole Primary School in Claremont into which an investigation has since been launched.

In the meantime, campaign spokesperson for the PNP, Delano Franklyn, said the party is aware of the investigation and is awaiting the outcome of the findings.

“The party is aware of it and the party awaits the outcome. You don’t know what the findings will be; when twhe findings are out then you make a determination as to how you treat it,” he told the Observer before adding that the outcome of the findings will be “duly” dealt with by the party.

— Kimone Francis