THE EXPECTED fallout from the latest scandal at the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) started yesterday with the resignation of three board members and the acting president going on leave.

Rae Barrett, Dennis Chung and Bindley Sangster tendered their resignations to Transport Minister Mike Henry yesterday, hours after the JUTC board admitted that there were several breaches of the Government's procurement guidelines at the state-owned bus company.

The three men were members of the procurement committee of the JUTC and had been rapped on the knuckles by Contractor General Greg Christie for failing to take action to ensure that the bus company awarded contracts fairly.

Sangster, who was appointed acting president of the JUTC following the murder of chairman Douglas Chambers, has also gone on a leave of absence from that position.

He could face criminal charges after he allegedly falsified a report presented to the Office of the Contractor General during its investigation of the awarding of contracts at the bus company.

To remain on leave

That matter has been reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a ruling and yesterday Henry said Sangster would remain on leave until the ruling is handed down.

According to Henry, this would allow for a transparent process of investigation into aspects of the bus company's operations.

The resignation of the three board members came hours after a release from the transport ministry disclosed that there were more breaches of the procurement guidelines than those already identified by the contractor general.

The board has promised to send a report to Christie even as it implements measures aimed at preventing a recurrence.

CG report in senate

Members of the JUTC board have been in hot water since last Friday when the contractor general's report was tabled in the Senate.

The report pointed to breaches in the procurement guidelines and identified the late chairman, Douglas Chambers, as having ignored the rules while awarding contracts to Simber Productions Limited, a firm in which he held majority shares.

The contractor general also blasted the JUTC for ignoring the process in awarding contracts to Protection and Security Limited and Cool Petroleum Company Limited.

Henry is scheduled to make a statement on the matter in Parliament next Tuesday.