Jamaica loses $27 million in World Bank funding

• January 17 2020
• http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-report/jamaica-loses-27-million-in-world-bank-funding_184825

The Government of Jamaica has lost just over US$202,000 ($27 million) in grant funding from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development better known as the World Bank.

This was due to the slow implementation of project activities under the Jamaica Social and Economic Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, which is a project under the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) that is solely funded by the World Bank.

Despite receiving a one-year extension to August 14, 2018, it was noted that after five years of implementation, the project was only able to expend US$2.7 million or 93 per cent of the US$2.9 million grant funding. As such, the Government of Jamaica lost US$202,341.34 in grants.

Auditor General Pamela Monroe-Ellis reports that an examination of the project by her department revealed that the under-utilisation of the grant funding was due mainly to the Training Consultant delay in submitting final report as well as invoices within the disbursement period.

“Consequently, the Government of Jamaica had to provide US$160,172 ($20.7 million) from another source, to pay for the training which was done subsequent to August, 2018,” Monroe-Ellis stated in her just released annual report to Parliament.

The objective of the project is to assist the Government of Jamaica increase the employability and skills development of poor persons with disabilities, and improve the service delivery of special education needs to poor children with disabilities.

— Durrant Pate