You wouldn’t know, Minister Montague

The Integrity Commission has shot back at claims by Minister of Transport and Mining Robert Montague that he could not respond to questions about the Airports Authority of Jamaica’s (AAJ) multimillion-dollar investment in First Rock Holdings which breached the Government’s guidelines.

In Parliament on Tuesday, Montague said he could not respond to questions from the Opposition because, “The subject matter of the question is being reviewed by the Integrity Commission, which is a commission of Parliament.”

Montague urged the Opposition to understand his failure to respond saying, “I, therefore, crave the indulgence of the Honourable House in allowing for that process to be completed and the outcome presented to the Parliament.”

But, in a release yesterday, Integrity Commission chairman, retired Justice Seymour Panton, while not confirming or denying that a probe is under way, said there was no way Montague would be in possession of this information.

“Yesterday, it was announced in the House of Representatives that the Integrity Commission was conducting a probe in a specified matter. Since then, there have been queries as to the accuracy or otherwise of the statement.

“The Integrity Commission wishes to remind the public that Section 53 (3) of the Integrity Commission Act forbids “the commission or any other person” from making a report or public statement in relation to the initiation or conduct of an investigation until the tabling in Parliament of a report, Panton said.

“This means that neither the commission nor any other person can publicly confirm or deny the initiation or conduct of an investigation until a report has been tabled in Parliament. The term ‘any other person’ applies to and includes parliamentarians,” said Panton as he noted that, “No such report has been tabled.”

The Government has been under pressure since news broke that the AAJ invested approximately $450 million in First Rock Capital Holdings in breach of the regulations governing its operation.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared that the issue raised issues of “grave concern” but he did not say what action would be taken against the then members of the AAJ board who approved the deal.

Minister of Finance Dr Nigel also admitted that the purchase breached the Public Bodies Management and Accountability Act regulations because the AAJ did not seek the ministry’s approval first.

As the matter bubbled, Opposition spokesman on transport Mikael Phillips tabled 21 questions for Montague to answer in 21 days.

Among the answers being sought by Phillips are whether any board member held directorship or was a shareholder in First Rock and whether those details had been declared.

Phillips also wants to know why the recommendation not to invest taxpayers’ money in the St Lucia-registered start-up company that began operations in March 2019 was not heeded.