The single binder of “marketing services” an ORNGE for-profit company did for an Italian helicopter firm is not worth the $6.7 million the ORNGE firm was paid.
That’s the assessment of Ron McKerlie, the able civil servant now running the provincial air ambulance service.
“I agree with (the Star’s) contention that the work performed does not reflect the amount of money that was paid for it,” McKerlie said in an interview.
What else the ORNGE Peel consulting firm, majority-owned by former president Dr. Chris Mazza, may have done to justify the payment is unclear.
McKerlie, alerted to this by a Star investigation, has passed all related information to the provincial Ministry of Finance, which is now investigating.
In December, the Star published a story showing that a company controlled by ORNGE founder Dr. Chris Mazza had received $6.7 million from AgustaWestland, a helicopter firm based in Italy. Agusta made the payments after ORNGE used provincial funds to purchase 12 AW 139 helicopters for $144 million.
The Star obtained a “marketing services” agreement that stated Agusta, a world leader in helicopter production, was hiring Mazza’s company to drum up business in the medical helicopter field.
The Star has been trying for two months to find out what Mazza’s company, ORNGE Peel (the name was changed to ORNGE Global) did for Agusta.
McKerlie had a single binder of papers on his desk on Thursday and while he is forbidden by ORNGE lawyers to release them, he said the small amount of consulting work does not come close to justifying the whopping payments.
“We have forwarded this to the Ministry of Finance for review,” McKerlie said.
The agreement between Mazza’s company and Agusta prevents McKerlie from publicizing anything related to the agreement. The agreement was signed for ORNGE by Mazza and Maria Renzella, executive vice-president of ORNGE. She and Mazza are both on extended medical leave. ORNGE Peel, which the province recently shut down, was a for-profit company owned by Mazza and other top ORNGE executives.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Kevin Donovan
That’s the assessment of Ron McKerlie, the able civil servant now running the provincial air ambulance service.
“I agree with (the Star’s) contention that the work performed does not reflect the amount of money that was paid for it,” McKerlie said in an interview.
What else the ORNGE Peel consulting firm, majority-owned by former president Dr. Chris Mazza, may have done to justify the payment is unclear.
McKerlie, alerted to this by a Star investigation, has passed all related information to the provincial Ministry of Finance, which is now investigating.
In December, the Star published a story showing that a company controlled by ORNGE founder Dr. Chris Mazza had received $6.7 million from AgustaWestland, a helicopter firm based in Italy. Agusta made the payments after ORNGE used provincial funds to purchase 12 AW 139 helicopters for $144 million.
The Star obtained a “marketing services” agreement that stated Agusta, a world leader in helicopter production, was hiring Mazza’s company to drum up business in the medical helicopter field.
The Star has been trying for two months to find out what Mazza’s company, ORNGE Peel (the name was changed to ORNGE Global) did for Agusta.
McKerlie had a single binder of papers on his desk on Thursday and while he is forbidden by ORNGE lawyers to release them, he said the small amount of consulting work does not come close to justifying the whopping payments.
“We have forwarded this to the Ministry of Finance for review,” McKerlie said.
The agreement between Mazza’s company and Agusta prevents McKerlie from publicizing anything related to the agreement. The agreement was signed for ORNGE by Mazza and Maria Renzella, executive vice-president of ORNGE. She and Mazza are both on extended medical leave. ORNGE Peel, which the province recently shut down, was a for-profit company owned by Mazza and other top ORNGE executives.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Kevin Donovan
No comments:
Post a Comment