The Ministry takes note of the report from the Integrity Commission (IC) tabled in Parliament on Tuesday as the culmination of its investigations.

“We further note the finding of no malfeasance with regards to the actions of the team at the ministry,” the ministry said in a press release. “However, we recognise the recommendations of the IC and the need to strengthen the procurement processes to ensure greater levels of transparency in order to mitigate the perceptions as defined in the report.

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton and the ministry were probed by the Integrity Commission regarding the ministry’s engagement with Market Me, specifically in relation to the Jamaica Moves campaign.

The Jamaica Moves campaign was formulated by the Ministry to bring awareness to the population on the issues of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and sought to promote preventative actions for positive health outcomes. 

The programme remains the flagship health promotion and prevention strategy for the ministry. However, given the importance of this intervention to the reduction of the impact of NCDs on the population, the Ministry will continue to review and assess the IC report and the suggestions that are made therein, and, where necessary, institute measures to strengthen programme implementation in compliance with relevant laws and policies.

The ministry said: “We take special note of the IC’s finding on contract splintering and the recommendation found in Section 7.4 of the report where the IC advises that the ministry should ‘… desist from engaging in actions that may give the appearance of contract splintering’. 

“We acknowledge that the transactions, some of which are evidenced on page 70 of the report, could give the appearance of splintering however, careful analysis would show:

1.    The invoices were for “reimbursement” of goods and services already received and utilised for the implementation of activities in the Jamaica Moves campaign.

2.    The invoices for reimbursement had the same date, however, the description of items shows that the reimbursements were for multiple events over the period of approximately 1 year.

3.    The invoices for reimbursement were for the payment of items that include water, t-shirts, lighting, staging equipment, food, etc. Examples of the type and nature of goods and services provided through this reimbursement can be found in Appendix 3, page 99 and 100 of the report.

4.    That none of these items were part of the supply contract with Market Me.

5.    That these costs had been paid months in advance by the Company, with the full knowledge of the ministry, and that a reimbursement was required. 

“The ministry reiterates that at no time was there any intent to circumvent the procurement process through contract splintering. As noted in Section 5.7.2 of the report, once the matter was raised with the Executive Management of the Ministry, all efforts were immediately made to: cease all further advance payment transactions; regularise the transactions through the payment of the outstanding reimbursements; and finalise the procurement process for a new contract to cauterise any further need for advance payments by the company and any subsequent payment for reimbursement. 

“Again, the ministry welcomes the conclusion of this investigation, and we will seek to enhance our fiduciary management systems to support greater transparency in our procurement processes.