An open letter to Dr. Davies

In regard to the JDIP matter and your public commitment to the forensic audit ordered by the previous prime minister, it is again a matter of public concern that there is a lack of transparency in the way you have taken control of this audit.

First of all, no one knows but you and perhaps a handful of others, what are the terms of reference for this audit. This audit cannot be a private affair since it involves a lot of borrowed money which must be repaid by the Jamaican taxpayers and especially the poor, including the 1. 2 million who are living below the poverty line, according the IMF. 

Making the terms of reference public is particularly important because there is more than a hint in the Auditor General’s report  that corruption may have been facilitated and since your government is pursuing the same lender for special loan accommodations, the question arises as to how thorough is this audit intended to be.  Is your government prepared to expose everything that is uncovered and run the risk of a political fallout with the Chinese government?  

This would not be the first time that big infrastructure projects undertaken by Chinese capital, have been accused of bribery and corruption in securing contracts. If similar acts took place in Jamaica and were not investigated or exposed then it can surely happen again. In fact the public has a right to be suspicious in light of the fact that politicians from both the JLP and PNP have previously accepted expensive trips to China at the expense of the Chinese government. Such gifts would be impermissible in some countries. 

Dr.  Davies, the public is not as disinterested in this matter as you might believe. Please make public the terms of reference for the audit. Also very important is how much the audit is costing, we need to know. 

Lloyd D’Aguilar