Conflict of interest in $2 million Petrojam donation to Munro College?

The Integrity Commission is questioning whether there was a conflict of interest in a $2 million donation by the scandal-hit oil refinery, Petrojam, to the St Elizabeth-based Munro College in 2017.

The money was to help renovate tennis courts at the all-boys school.

In a report on irregularities and nepotism at Petrojam, the anti-corruption body said Floyd Grindley, the general manager at the time, “improperly inserted” himself in the process by his “unauthorised” recommendation of the $2 million amount.

The report, which was tabled in Parliament yesterday, said it was its director of investigation’s opinion that Grindley, a past student of Munro, breached Petrojam’s donation policy, which mandates that the human resources manager should decide the amount.

Further consideration must be given to whether Grindley’s involvement gave rise to a conflict of interest given his links to Munro, the Integrity Commission concluded.

The concerns did not stop there as documentation provided by Petrojam showed that the request to the state agency was submitted on March 27, 2017, by Telroy Morgan, the organisation’s then manager, refinery optimization and business support.

Morgan was listed on the letter as a first vice president of the Munro Old Boys' Association.

He is now the manager, strategic planning and business support at Petrojam.

In a response to the Integrity Commission last year, Grindley said Morgan made the request, was an active member of Munro’s school board, and “wanted to support well-needed infrastructure upgrades at the school.”

“Munro College is also my alma mater and therefore, I could relate to the need to upgrade the facility,” he added, in explaining why he recommended the donation payout on March 29, 2017.

Elias Azan, the president of the alumni group, who said he wrote the letter, acknowledged receiving the donation by cheque on July 11, 2017.

He said the money, which was needed for the school's 160th anniversary project, was deposited to the alumni group’s account and later transferred to the school’s account.

Up to March 2019, almost two years after the money was given to Munro, Azan said the project was incomplete “as there were insufficient funds to purchase the required sealers and top coat paints.”

He said additional funds raised would cover the rest of the project.

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