(CNS): An organisational review of several departments and entities within the Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure, conducted by local consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) last year, which cost more than CI$315,000, will not be released, MPs were told during the latest meeting of parliament.
Opposition MP Roy Tatum asked Planning Minister Jay Ebanks if the review was complete and if it would be made available. Ebanks responded that it was never meant to be made public.
According to the original procurement documents, the review was intended to provide recommendations to increase organisational transparency, efficiency, effectiveness and coherence in the ministry and was completed in 2025. But in his formal response to Tatum’s parliamentary question, the minister said it formed “part of internal government work and is confidential. As such, it is not being made available.”
The document was initially meant to be released, at the very least, to prospective consultants who engaged in the procurement process, which closes next week, to work on the proposed merger of the National Roads Authority, the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing, and the Public Transport Unit into a new Department of Transportation.
However, officials at the procurement office recently said the document would only be released to the successful bidder.
“The 2025 PwC Organisational Review contains proprietary and confidential information and is not in the public domain,” the procurement office stated in one of its responses to bidders’ questions, despite previously stating it would be available.
“Relevant insights and context from the review have been incorporated into the RFP to support proposal development. The full report will be shared with the successful bidder under appropriate confidentiality arrangements following contract award.”
The minister claimed in parliament that it was always only intended to be used for government internal management purposes. Tatum was cut off by the speaker in his efforts to get the minister to release the document once whatever commercial sensitivities preventing its release are no longer relevant. In correspondence with CNS since the meeting, Tatum said he had no idea why this document was now being withheld.
CNS has since filed an FOI request. While that request is almost certain to be refused, the process might at least force the government to explain why the entire report should remain under wraps and say whether any parts of it, or a redacted version, could be released.
Although the NCFC has claimed to be transparent, this is one of several significant documents that the government has failed to release to the public, even in a redacted form. Among others that remain secret is the Housing Task Force’s report, which is understood to have informed the government’s new housing policy but has been withheld from public view.
CNS submitted an FOI request for that report, which was refused. An appeal also failed to get even a redacted version.
