The Integrity Commission has recommended that clear rules be outlined relating to the award of government contracts to persons or entities connected to government workers, in a bid to avoid conflict of interest.

This, in the wake of a probe by the commission, into allegations of impropriety and irregularity in the use of limited tender and direct contracting procurement methods in the award of government contracts by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to Nubian One Construction, from 2016 to 2019.

In its report tabled in parliament yesterday, the Integrity Commission’s Director of Investigations expressed concern about the connection between the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Colette Roberts-Risden, and the principal of Nubian One Wayne Gadishaw.

The Director of Investigations said as it relates to the allegation concerning conflict of interest, the conclusion is that there is a familial link between Mrs. Roberts-Risden and Gadishaw, which raises significant conflict of interest concerns.

The Director noted that the Permanent Secretary claimed to be unaware of the company’s principal when the first multi-million dollar contract was approved, but that she was aware by the time the second contract was approved, even though she said she was not directly involved in the procurement process.

The Director said this fact cannot be ignored, adding that the Permanent Secretary had a duty to make the appropriate disclosures and recuse herself from the process and/or seek guidance as to how she ought to have proceeded.

The Director concluded that the relationship between Mrs. Roberts-Risden and Gadishaw, as well as her failure to follow the policies and applicable legislation, prevented the conflict of interest situation from being appropriately managed, thereby constituting an actual conflict of interest situation in the awards of contracts by the ministry to Nubian One, in 2019.

This is a breach of government public sector procurement procedures.

The Director of Investigations has recommended that a copy of the report be referred to the Office of the Services Commission for consideration.

The Director also recommended establishing clear rules, governing the procedure to be followed where an accounting officer who is conflicted is a permanent secretary, as in the present case.

This will remove any apparent ambiguity and achieve consistency across government entities when implementing procurement procedures.