Posted at 11:09 a.m., Friday, January 10, 2003

Contractors meet with Lingle on job rules

Advertiser Staff

Dozens of contractors and state officials met with Gov. Linda Lingle this morning to discuss reforming procedures for awarding nonbid professional services contracts.

Gov. Linda Lingle opens a meeting between government officials and private contractors on how the procurement process can be improved. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

"We made a commitment to the public to clean up this system and make it right and open and fair to all companies and fair to taxpayers," Lingle said, noting that many contractors had paid heavy fines after investigations into illegal campaign contributions they made to Hawai'i politicians.

The reform effort "is going to be the foundation for a major part of our success restoring the public's trust in government in the state of Hawai'i and in government in general I believe," Lingle said.