(Jamaica Gleaner) Ninety-eight consultants have been engaged by the Portia Simpson Miller-led government at a cost of more than J$255 million since the administration took power in January.
The information was provided by Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips in response to questions tabled by Opposition MP Audley Shaw.
Several politicians who carry the flag of the governing People’s National Party (PNP) are included among the list of consultants.
Among them are Basil Waite, Phyllis Mitchell, Marjorie Taylor, Burchell Whiteman, Delano Franklyn and Lucius Thomas.
The information provided by Phillips also shows that Simpson Miller has employed six fewer consultants than former Prime Minister Bruce Golding. Eighteen persons were employed under Golding, while Simpson Miller’s 12 consultants are costing the country J$37.8 million.
At the same time, Dr Phillips has 10 consultants employed to the Ministry of Finance at a cost of J$25.4 million compared to Shaw who had 11 consultants directly employed in his ministry, and one each to the Customs Department and the Inland Revenue Department. The cost of the consultants under Shaw was J$36.2 million.
In 2009, then Prime Minister Bruce Golding reported to Parliament J$12.4 million was being paid for consultancy services within his office. That number swelled to J$37.9 million by the time the Government left power in 2011.
Simpson Miller had nine consultants in the Office of the Prime Minister when she was at Jamaica House. Jamaica paid J$22.7 million to employ them.
The Golding administration paid out at least J$190 million to consultants in ministries compared to J$127 million for consultancy paid by the previous PNP administration.
