HOME	AUGUST 28st, 2004

AUGUST 28

Parliamentary Representative for the Town of St. George Peter David is calling for an investigation into the way government contracts are being given out at New National Party (NNP) offices around the country.

David, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) made the comment against the backdrop of widespread reports in the River Road area about abuse of the government-funded debushing contracts. GRENADA TODAY picked up information about a questionable $3700.00 contract that was issued to an NNP activist in the constituency to do debushing and draining in the Town of St. George.

Sources told this newspaper that the individual is closely associated with the NNP party office in River road that is run by Tourism & Civil Aviation Minister Brenda Hood. There are unconfirmed reports that although the funds were paid for the contract by the Ministry of Finance, doubts remain as to whether the work was completed.

According to a well-placed source, a total of $500.00 was given to the young woman whose name the cheque was written out to, while the remainder was allegedly was kept at the NNP party office. After the 1999 general election, the NNP administration of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell introduced a new policy in which a constituency allowance of $1500.00 was to be given to all elected Members of Parliament (MP's).

The monies were set aside to pay for the upkeep of a parliamentary office, as well as an assistant and utility bills like electricity and telephone. Tourism Minister Hood could not be reached for commet on the issue. However, the Parliamentary Representative for the Town of St. George said he had heard the reports of the alleged abuse of the debushing contract in the River Road area but did not know whether it was true or false. David indicated that he intends to raise the issue in Parliament about government contracts being given out in party offices.

He said that when this is done it leaves the process open to corruption and suggested that an investigation should be carried out into all government contracts given out at NNP party offices around the country. This is not the first time that the River Road office has been thrown in the spotlight.

Earlier in the year, the office was the subject of a heated debate in parliament between David and Prime Minister Mitchell, over its use to distribute state resources. David had raised the issue of growing complaints from residents in the area, that they were told to go to the NNP party's office to collect assistance, due to heavy flooding that had affected the area.