Integrity Commission Flags Widespread Single-Source Government Contracting in Jamaica

Jamaica’s Integrity Commission wants full documentation and independent review of 476 Government contracts worth $5 billion linked to Hurricane Melissa recovery, most awarded through emergency or single-source procurement. It said the surge in disaster-related spending needs closer scrutiny to ensure transparency and value for money as the island rebuilds.

Government contracts continued to rely heavily on single-source procurement in 2025, with such awards making up 69.2% of contracts by number, while open competitive bidding accounted for just 4.1%, according to the Integrity Commission. Kevon Stephenson told Parliament that 3,052 single-source contracts worth $51.6 billion were above legal thresholds and should be examined by authorities.

The Integrity Commission says procuring entities made 1,618 cases of two or more single-source awards to the same contractor on the same day in 2025, covering 4,317 contracts worth $11.5 billion. Director Kevon Stephenson said 416 cases may have exceeded single-source limits when combined, raising concern that some work may have been split to avoid procurement rules.