The Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) has called on the Integrity Commission or any other appropriate state body to investigate the $46-million contract awarded to Rahim Cleaning and Trucking Limited to carry out cleaning and sanitising works at eight locations in Ocho Rios, St Ann.

The St Ann Municipal Corporation requested funds from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) to carry out the sanitisation exercise in the wake of COVID-19.

Sanitisation work was done at the Urban Development Corporation’s Island Village complex, Main Street in Ocho Rios, Turtle River Park, Ocean Village, Ocho Rios Market, and Fisherman Village.

McNeill asked the deputy CEO of the St Ann Municipal Corporation, Xavier Munroe, if the cost of $7.5 million “rang any bells” in his mind for cleaning and sanitising.

Committee member Fitz Jackson shared that the Portmore municipality spent a total of $300,000 to carry out cleaning and sanitisation of “all the major gathering areas in Portmore, Naggo Head Transport Centre, Waterford Transport Centre, Greater Portmore Health Centre and Library, all the bus shelters and all of Portmore Mall”.