est. 2007

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Mabey & Johnson Former Employer Of Jonathan Danos Fined On Bribery Charge

The British media unlike that in Barbados recently reported on the legal troubles the British company Mabey & Johnson is currently enduring. The BU family should remember that Janathan Danos was a former executive at Mabey & Johnson who subsequently left to form the company 3S Barbados to facilitate the ABC Highway Project (search BU…

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mabey_johnsonThe British media unlike that in Barbados recently reported on the legal troubles the British company Mabey & Johnson is currently enduring. The BU family should remember that Janathan Danos was a former executive at Mabey & Johnson who subsequently left to form the company 3S Barbados to facilitate the ABC Highway Project (search BU for the many blogs posted on the murky project). Although Mabey & Johnson failed to win the road widening ABC Highway job, Danos was lucky to setup a five man company months before the previous government issued a multi-million contract to 3S Barbados using a rolling MOU which continues to be a hotly debated matter.

What is it the British media has printed about Danos’ former employer?

On July 2009 the Times Online reported that Mabey & Johnson a leading UK bridge-building company appeared in court today to say it will plead guilty to charges of overseas corruption and breaching United Nations sanctions. Mabey is charged with offences relating to activities in Jamaica and Ghana between 1993 and 2001.

On September 24 2009 the Times Online reported that Mabey & Johnson is to be sentenced on bribery charges. Although no Mabey & Johnson employees will be charged, it is the first time a British company has been prosecuted for either offence and there are no official sentencing guidelines. Based on similar cases, Raj Chada, a partner at law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, said Mabey & Johnson was facing a fine “in the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions.

On September 26 2009 the Times Online reported that the British Serious Fraud Office  by pursuing the judgment against Mabey & Johnson is a major coup for the Serious Fraud Office — and for the principle that large companies operating abroad can be held accountable under British law. Mabey & Johnson has been fined 6.6 million pounds.The report highlighted the culture of giving kickbacks at Mabey & Johnson.

What does all the above mean? What is the significance to Barbadians?

Jonathan Danos was a former executive with Mabey & Johnson who left to setup a company 3S. The question which BU continues to ask, why was the contract awarded to 3S a company with no track record of road building? Why despite accusations and legal troubles in Jamaica for Danos he was able to establish 3S Barbados to win a government contract? Barbadians need answers.

The current government came to office promising to expose this mess to the public, two years later we are still waiting.

10 responses to “Mabey & Johnson Former Employer Of Jonathan Danos Fined On Bribery Charge”

  1. ROK Avatar
    ROK

    Wow!

  2. Realted article Avatar
    Realted article

    Hibbert will not quit, Politician declares innocence in Mabey and Johnson affair

    Published: Saturday | September 26, 2009

    Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter

    This is the same company Danos from 3s was involved with

    EMBATTLED JAMAICA Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament, Joseph Hibbert, said he was not contemplating stepping down as Member of Parliament (MP) in the wake of fresh allegations that he received more than £100,000 from British bridge-building company, Mabey and Johnson Limited.

    In an interview with The Gleaner yesterday evening, Hibbert noted that while he had no immediate plans to walk away from representational politics, the decision might not necessarily be left up to him.

    “At the same time, one has to be careful in politics, the decision is not always yours,” Hibbert said.

    “If my party makes a decision, then they will get my response,” Hibbert said, replying to the question of what would be his decision if the JLP pressed him to step aside. However, he was reluctant to say what his response would be at this time.

    denies allegations

    Vehemently denying allegations of bribery by Mabey and Johnson, the East Rural St Andrew MP said he has been waiting to get a report from England on what was tabled in the lawsuit that was brought against the bridge-building company.

    “Part of what they said they have given to me as cash payment, I have never received. Lodgements that they have claimed they have made to my accounts have never been received, these millions they are talking about have never been received. I have no such accounts either in Jamaica or abroad.”

    The JLP MP said he could explain the sums he received from Mabey and Johnson.

    “We are saying if money was paid over to me there is a proper explanation for it. When I travel to the United Kingdom for whatever reason to inspect your bridges and to make a determination on your ability to respond to a tender process that payment is made by you (Mabey and Johnson).”

    “Travelling to England was not done of my own. It was done through the ministry I was part of at that time. I have approvals granted by ministers of government,” he added.

    Hibbert insisted that the funds paid by the British firm were not part of a bribery scheme but were paid to cover expenses.

    “I have heard the report, we have to wait and see what is being tabled (in UK court) and then I will give a fulsome response to that,” he said.

    Yesterday, Mabey and Johnson, which had reportedly bribed officials in Jamaica, Ghana and Iraq, was slapped with a five-million pound fine in the United Kingdom’s courts.

    The firm had earlier pleaded guilty to the offences, which were committed between 1993 and 2002.

    Mabey and Johnson reportedly tried to influence Jamaican and Ghanaian officials when bidding for public contracts.

    corrupt activities

    In its arguments, the prosecution alleged that Mabey and Johnson engaged in corrupt activities with a Kingston businessman and Hibbert, a former technical director in the transport ministry.

    Attempts to reach the Kingston businessman for a comment were futile.

    The prosecution claimed Hibbert was bribed to help the company to win bridge-building contracts in Jamaica and the Kingston businessman facilitated it.

    The prosecution said the bridge-building company paid Hibbert £100,134 between November 20, 1993 and October 30, 2001.

  3. Unugly Avatar
    Unugly

    Complete nonsense… absolutely typical… an independent company works hard to win a contract, create jobs etc., and what does it get? A vicious smear campaign! There is no question of bribery. All the payments have been identified as err…um…administrative overheads, err…operative costs…uumm…managerial surcharges, miscellaneous outgoings. Everything is completely in order.

  4. David Avatar
    David

    The government has preached openness in government, let us see the ABC Flyover/Highway widening documents!

  5. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    David, is the title correct? Or should it read

    “Mabey & Johnson Former Employer Of Jonathan Danos Fined On Bribery Charge”

    I am sure that ru4real can easily explain all this…

  6. David Avatar
    David

    Thanks BT, it has been one of those Weekends in the BU household.

  7. Brutus Avatar
    Brutus

    From the UK Guardian online:

    “Allegations of improper payments in Jamaica emerged when Mabey and Johnson traded allegations of wrong-doing with former sales executive Jonathan Danos in a civil case. Mabey refused to say how it had settled that case.”

  8. Brutus Avatar
    Brutus

    Maybe ru4real can also give us details of the out of court settlement of the case between Mabey and Johnson and Danos.

  9. David Avatar
    David

    Interesting that we argue about the legitimacy of the decision to build flyovers but to discuss the process which would have seen millions of tax dollars given to a dubious contractor, the silence is deafening.

  10. Hughie Avatar
    Hughie

    Very strange that you can allow a company that is tendering to pay your costs for you!!!!

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