• Prime Minister Andrew Holness will not be charged with corruption.
• The Integrity Commission made public a 107-page report.
• Holness said he disagreed with the findings.

After looking into a potential conflict of interest over government contracts given to a construction company between 2006 and 2009, Jamaica’s anti-corruption agency said on Thursday that Prime Minister Andrew Holness will not be charged.

According to the head of the Integrity Commission, the claims that Prime Minister Andrew Holness recommended contracts with Westcon Construction Ltd would not be changed by the commission’s leadership.

The probe “failed to (either) contradict or provide more evidence in support of the offenses” pertaining to the prime minister, therefore “no criminal charges can be laid,” commission leaders wrote in a letter to parliament.

This Monday, the Integrity Commission made public a special 107-page report stating its intention to look into the allegations made against Holness. The investigation noted that two Westcon directors had been “known to” Holness for more than 20 years and had professional ties with him.

Holness said he “strongly disagree(d) with the findings of the Integrity Commission regarding conflict of interest based on mere associations.”

The office of the prime minister chose not to comment on the most recent development.

When Holness was in charge of the Ministry of Education, Westcon was given ten contracts at almost JMD$22 million ($140,000) over a two-year period.

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