Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Integrity Commission (IC) has singled out former permanent secretary Dr Alwin Hales and three other senior civil servants, including former Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) president Dr Fritz Pinnock, as being responsible for four missing government vehicles.

The IC, in a report tabled in Parliament yesterday afternoon, concerning allegations of impropriety and Irregularities in relation to the unknown whereabouts of certain government motor vehicles belonging to then Ministry of Transport and Mining (MTM) in 2008, singled out Hales, who at the time was the permanent secretary in that ministry; Pinnock, who was CMU’s director of planning and development at the time; Dr Eron McLean and Elaine Hayden, former director of projects and strategic initiatives at CMU, as being accountable for the missing.

The 55-page report outlines an arrangement between the MTM and the CMU for the loan of 15 vehicles to the institution from the MTM. During the course of the investigation, the IC’s director of investigation (DI), Kevon Stephenson, uncovered issues of mismanagement of Government’s assets and the MTM and CMU’s inability to account for four motor vehicles.

Missing motor vehicles

The motor vehicles in question are: a 2001 Isuzu Trooper, with engine number 924215; a 2002 Isuzu Trooper, carrying engine number 818741; a 1998 Isuzu Pick-Up, with engine number 49445; and a 2002 Mitsubishi L200, bearing engine number 4D56BB4078. Stephenson stated that subsequent to the appointment of Pinnock as president of the CMU, the MTM and the university entered into an agreement for it to repair motor vehicles belonging to the ministry back in 2008.

He concluded that as a result of the referenced agreement, the MTM loaned operational vehicles to the CMU for use in its daily activities, as well as non-operational vehicles to be used as parts to effect repairs to other operational vehicles and for the CMU’s Crash Investigation and Autobody Repair Curriculum. However, the four vehicles in question that were loaned to the CMU cannot be accounted for by either the MTM and/or the CMU.

Accountable officer ‘dropped the ball’

According to the report, Hales was the accountable officer of the MTM at the material time and was responsible for the proper management and accounting of the ministry’s assets to include transport vehicles. This conclusion is made on the basis that the applicable Revised Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Policy clearly stipulates that the ultimate responsibility for fleet vehicle management fall within the remit of the permanent secretary/head of department.

According to the report, “The DI further concludes that the permanent secretary Dr Alwin Hales, in his capacity as the accounting and/or accountable officer of the MTM failed to discharge the obligations imposed upon him by Section 16(2) and Schedule C of the Financial Administration and Audit Act and Regulations, respectively.”

Under the referenced provisions, Hales was accountable at the material time for the “custody and proper use of all materials, equipment or other public property administered by him,” as well as to ensure “proper management and accounting of assets, including stores, equipment, and transport vehicles.”

This conclusion is based on the MTM’s inability to account for the whereabouts of four vehicles. Stephenson further concludes that Professor Pinnock, Dr Eron McLean and Elaine Hayden were accountable officers of the CMU at the material time and were responsible for the proper management and accounting of the CMU’s assets to include transport vehicles. This conclusion is premised on Section 2 of the Financial Administration and Audit Act.

Failure in accountability

In addition, Pinnock, McLean and Hayden in their capacity as accountable officers of the CMU at the material time, failed to maintain adequate records regarding the use and safe keeping of Government of Jamaica motor vehicles in accordance with their legal responsibilities under the Financial Administration and Audit Act and the Revised Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Policy for the Public Sector.

“The DI’s conclusion is premised on the CMU’s inability to satisfy the requirements under Section 16(2) and Schedule C of the Financial Administration and Audit Act and Regulations, respectively as well as Section C of the Revised Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Policy, 2003,” the report outlined.

IC ‘s recommendations

The IC has outlined a number of recommendations to mitigate a recurrence of the issues outlined in the report.

Recommendations to the financial secretary, Ministry of Finance and the Public Service (MoFPS):

· Having regard to the DI’s finding that four motor vehicles that were in the custody of the MTM and CMU cannot be accounted for, it is recommended that, if not yet done, the MoFPS conducts a review to determine the extent of the loss to the government occasioned by the negligence of the officers involved, and thereafter take such action as maybe necessary and appropriate to recover said loss.

Recommendations to CMU

· The DI recommends that, if not yet implemented, the CMU implements a policy which addresses the acquisition, maintenance and disposal of motor vehicles and other Government of Jamaica assets consistent with the Financial Administration and Audit Act (FAAA) and the Government of Jamaica Revised Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Policy for the Public Sector.

· Additionally, the CMU should ensure that the policy provides clear and unambiguous instructions regarding the maintenance and disposal of motor vehicles

The DI’s recommendation is grounded in the fact that, at the material time, there were no internal policy documents or procedures within the CMU treating with the acquisition, maintenance or disposal of motor vehicles. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the CMU’s inability to account for the whereabouts of four Government of Jamaica motor vehicles under its control is inexcusable.

On February 10, 2022, the IC’s director of investigations commenced an investigation into allegations concerning impropriety, and irregularities in relation to certain Government of Jamaica motor vehicles that are unaccounted for the then MTM.