All contracts and invoices made out to Market Me Consulting Limited by the Ministry of Health & Wellness will be published on Tuesday, Permanent Secretary Dunstan Bryan has told The Gleaner.
His revelation came amid controversy that unfolded last week over whether Health & Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton had a personal relationship with a director of the advertising and marketing company that may have influenced business dealings.
The firestorm was sparked by social-media posts which Tufton described as “vile, filthy and scandalous”. The minister, however, has not addressed whether he has any personal affiliation with a Market Me director.
Growing scrutiny over the engagement of Market Me has drawn the interest of the Integrity Commission, which may launch a probe into the ministry’s dealing with the company.
Referring to the full cache of contracts awarded to Market Me, Bryan told The Gleaner that “all of them will be published tomorrow (Tuesday)”. The documents will be uploaded to the ministry’s website, he revealed.
“Both contracts will be published along with all the payments that have been made and all the invoices,” he said.
Bryan appeared to have scratched plans to release a statement on Monday.
Market Me is the lead force behind Jamaica Moves, a three-year-old physical fitness campaign promoted by the Ministry of Health & Wellness to raise awareness about the impact of non-communicable diseases.
It has, however, been revealed that the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) had rejected the renewal of a multimillion-dollar contract to the company in May 2019, but that decision was reversed following a successful lobby by Bryan; Dr Simone Spence, acting director of health promotion and protection; and Trudy Brennan, acting director of procurement.
UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL
Market Me had initially made an unsolicited proposal to the ministry in 2016 for a contract valued at $15.9 million, which was approved.
The ministry wanted to extend the contract, but the procurement authority objected, noting that there was no evidence that value for money had been achieved from the first arrangement and that Market Me had not met the minimum required score in the bid document.
However, Bryan and his team pressed the commission to scrap its decision, arguing that going to the open market would have disrupted the Jamaica Moves programme, which was officially launched in April 2017. The PPC backtracked on its decision after the ministry reduced the contract period from two years to one.
That renewed contract was worth $38.9 million.
Market Me has also been awarded a number of contracts beyond the scope of Jamaica Moves, “totalling millions of dollars”, sources have said
Million dollar pum**m? Ah Na laugh :hotrit
LOTS OF PPL THINK THIS IS A POLITICAL ATTACK ON TUFTION..NAH ..IT IS PPL WHO CLOSE TO HIM WHO DONT LIKE HOW HIM A DISRESPECT AND HURT HIS WIFE …is them a leak
Scores of ppl from America to all over jus fed up ah di alms house …these politrixans think they are above the law and are truly crooked in their ways. No one cares about his personal life UNLESS it interferes with his judgement and political affairs. The two should never meet. If he has fallen out of love with his wife Or whatever, fine. But where monies are involved, he SHOULD get this public scrutiny and backlash . OF COURSE !
Reveal all things
If a copy of the Jamaican Consituation was placed in all schools as is required the citizens of the country would at least know their rights as this is the highest law of the land.
The politicians works for the citizens, they are accountable to the citizens as it was the citizens who voted for them to have this privilege. People are talking about being disrespectful for voicing opinions. There is no where on the law books which say a citizen has to have respect for the Prime Minister , other politicians, or the police. Demanding this is leaning towards a dictatorship. People has the rights to voice their opinions without the fear of being arrested or worse killed. Citizens derive this right from the Human Rights Act which Jamaica is a party to.
The slavery mentality that is imbeded in the citizens needs to be addressed by individuals, no one is better than you, no matter their position , whether they are financially comfortable, they live in a more decent surroundings, they have a better level of education or jobs, to name few of the attributes that people place on someone being better than them. We are all equal and having the above makes those individual better than you.
Respect is a privilege and it works both ways. Respect is also earned, if you don’t earn it you cannot get it, you have got to work for it..
So to all of you who are saying that you are disrespectful to the PM or members of his cabinet when ones voice their opinion, you need to get a life snd stop the ass kissing.
:ngakak :ngakak The better hole tell :ngakak :ngakak
we heard he is the proprietor of a couple of gas stations and pharmacies(don’t know), if true, one need to take a deep look into any direct or “indirect” relations with those entities and the MOH or the MOA which he was the former head! any contract($) to gas up government vehicles? or any contract($) to supply “head-ache” or “stress” medication to govt. employees or other public servants? need to dig deep if true. :travel
……….and if any $uch contract or “arrangement” existed, were there double/triple invoice$ per service? need to know. :travel
Never deny the girl ? seems he is being a man and not a typical man who when caught cheating would deny and disown , even when its clear… our wives and husband cheat…and yet we wish we can stop it / prevent it …we just have to hope its not too hot or give back bun hotter dan u get it… so tired of this now…. Dats why me say ” BIg up to Michael Manley” -give the most bun an nobody could say shit about it or lose dem profession…den him wfie nuh duh nutten but go marry a fellow politician …same suh