The Integrity Commission has filed yet another damning report on Petrojam, in relation to concerns about contractual breaches involving former General Manager Floyd Grindley.

In a lengthy report tabled in parliament on Tuesday, the commission pointed to its probe into multi million dollar contracts, between Petrojam and various entities, including ASC Business Services, Asha Corporation, Construction Solutions Limited and Main Event Entertainment Group Limited.

Director of investigations Kevon Stephenson found that the utilisation of the direct contracting procurement methodology for the award of contracts to the entities, breached the provisions of the ministry of finance and the public service.

Stephenson referred Mr. Grindley, and former procurement unit head at Petrojam Limited, Mrs. Ronique Budram-Ford to the director of corruption prosecution for such further action, as deemed appropriate, regarding the common law offence of misconduct in public office, and breaches of government procurement regulations.

He noted that Grindley may have acted negligently in the discharge of his fiduciary obligations and responsibilities as then general manager of Petrojam Limited, by his apparent disregard of the former procurement unit head‘s advice and caution, concerning the aberrance from the procurement guidelines and his subsequent approval and insistence in the award of contracts.

Further, Mr. Grindley acted on the alleged improper instructions of then chairman, Dr. Bahado-Singh, to approve what appears to be the irregular award of contracts to Construction Solutions Limited, Main Event Entertainment Limited and Asha Corporation.

Stephenson pointed to the relationship between Grindley, Mrs. Ronique Budram-Ford, and Ms. Rishka Budram, the sister of Budram-ford, due to several contracts awarded in an apparent irregular manner to ASC Business Services, a company with which Rishka is affiliated.

These contracts were awarded by Petrojam Limited upon the instructions of Mrs. Budram-Ford as the former procurement unit head and the subsequent approval by Mr. Floyd Grindley in his capacity as then general manager, resulting in the involvement amounting to nepotism, conflict of interest, and a breach of public procurement regulations.

It’s reported that Mrs. Budram-Ford, in the execution of her public function, appeared to have advanced a private interest which resulted in a monetary benefit to her sister and/or her sister‘s child‘s father, actions which give rise to beaches of the Corruption Prevention Act.

Stephenson also recommended that the matter be referred to the director of corruption prosecution, in light of claims that both Mrs. Budram-Ford and Floyd Grindley, misled the director of investigations about their affiliation.