Tweet
Spencer says Mullings wrongfully briefed on light bulb issue
Garfield Myers
Friday, December 07, 2007
SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth - Insisting that he was not involved "in any wrong- doing" in the distribution of Cuban light bulbs, embattled former Junior Minister Kern Spencer suggested Monday night that Energy Minister Clive Mullings was "wrongly briefed" regarding what has become known as the Cuban light bulb scandal.
"Deep down in my heart I believe that the minister received a wrong brief from somewhere, I really believe the Minister was briefed incorrectly," Spencer, the opposition People's National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament for North East St Elizabeth told party faithfuls at a public meeting in Braes River.
Charging that aspects of the multi-million dollar programme to distribute a Cuban donation of light bulbs to Jamaican households smacked of fraud, Mulings last month announced that the matter had been sent to the Fraud Squad and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
But a buoyant Spencer, who as State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce had responsibility for the programme during the former PNP government, told supporters that his name would be cleared.
Touching on a number of areas that have been in the spotlight since the scandal broke, Spencer said it was "wrong" to say that the Energy Ministry was only on the "periphery" in the conduct of the distribution programme.
"Everything that went on in that programme, the officials from the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) and the Ministry were fully involved. In fact the ministry developed the policy document with the budget of $212 million which was in sync with the expenditure that took place . everthing was under the instructions and involvement of the key officials," Spencer said.
He said time would also reveal that there was no impropriety regarding expenditure on the payment of stipends to Cuban volunteers who worked in the distribution of the bulbs.
"Whether stipend was paid by Cuban government or not, I know that the Jamaican government (and) the PCJ, authorised - whether you want to call it a stipend or an allowance - but they authorised an expenditure for the Cubans while they were here because they felt that it was inhumane to have them here and not give them something," he said.
Spencer who broke down in tears at a parliamentary session early last month as Mullings unveiled details of the so-called scandal told supporters that on that day he had "a copy of the proof that the Cuban volunteers were receiving an allowance, I had a copy of at least one of the cheques," he said.
"I had signatures of the Cubans receiving the stipend so the argument about overpayment and who authorised stipend is null and void because the signatures are there and that will come out (in the investigation)."
Also, contrary to suggestions that there "were only 30 or 50 Cubans" involved in the distribution programme, he said, "I know that in the middle of May to August, we had over 300 Cubans and in excess of 1000 Jamaican volunteers working in over 40 constituences across Jamaica."
Added he: "Do a little math with me now. If you have over 1000 people working every single day and you even at least provide two meals a day, a good meal and a drink is for $300 that is $600 dollars each that is $600,000 per day."
He said investigations would show that "there were meetings of the board of PCJ and there were approvals given for expenditure."
Spencer discounted talk that Members of Parliament had been a "significant" source of funding for the light bulb distribution programme.
"Truth be told only one Member of Parliament from the Jamaica Labour Party made any contribution and it was Andrew Holness," said Spencer. He told supporters that he felt "compelled" to discuss the allegations even though he was likely to get "into trouble with the legal people".
He assured the people that he has signed no cheques relating to the light bulb programme and received no payments.
Claiming that at one stage last month he felt "down and out" and "like a soldier at war (who) picked up two shot below the heart", Spencer thanked Comrades in NE St Elizabeth and particularly in Braes River for standing behind him.
Garfield Myers
Friday, December 07, 2007
SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth - Insisting that he was not involved "in any wrong- doing" in the distribution of Cuban light bulbs, embattled former Junior Minister Kern Spencer suggested Monday night that Energy Minister Clive Mullings was "wrongly briefed" regarding what has become known as the Cuban light bulb scandal.
"Deep down in my heart I believe that the minister received a wrong brief from somewhere, I really believe the Minister was briefed incorrectly," Spencer, the opposition People's National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament for North East St Elizabeth told party faithfuls at a public meeting in Braes River.
Charging that aspects of the multi-million dollar programme to distribute a Cuban donation of light bulbs to Jamaican households smacked of fraud, Mulings last month announced that the matter had been sent to the Fraud Squad and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
But a buoyant Spencer, who as State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce had responsibility for the programme during the former PNP government, told supporters that his name would be cleared.
Touching on a number of areas that have been in the spotlight since the scandal broke, Spencer said it was "wrong" to say that the Energy Ministry was only on the "periphery" in the conduct of the distribution programme.
"Everything that went on in that programme, the officials from the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) and the Ministry were fully involved. In fact the ministry developed the policy document with the budget of $212 million which was in sync with the expenditure that took place . everthing was under the instructions and involvement of the key officials," Spencer said.
He said time would also reveal that there was no impropriety regarding expenditure on the payment of stipends to Cuban volunteers who worked in the distribution of the bulbs.
"Whether stipend was paid by Cuban government or not, I know that the Jamaican government (and) the PCJ, authorised - whether you want to call it a stipend or an allowance - but they authorised an expenditure for the Cubans while they were here because they felt that it was inhumane to have them here and not give them something," he said.
Spencer who broke down in tears at a parliamentary session early last month as Mullings unveiled details of the so-called scandal told supporters that on that day he had "a copy of the proof that the Cuban volunteers were receiving an allowance, I had a copy of at least one of the cheques," he said.
"I had signatures of the Cubans receiving the stipend so the argument about overpayment and who authorised stipend is null and void because the signatures are there and that will come out (in the investigation)."
Also, contrary to suggestions that there "were only 30 or 50 Cubans" involved in the distribution programme, he said, "I know that in the middle of May to August, we had over 300 Cubans and in excess of 1000 Jamaican volunteers working in over 40 constituences across Jamaica."
Added he: "Do a little math with me now. If you have over 1000 people working every single day and you even at least provide two meals a day, a good meal and a drink is for $300 that is $600 dollars each that is $600,000 per day."
He said investigations would show that "there were meetings of the board of PCJ and there were approvals given for expenditure."
Spencer discounted talk that Members of Parliament had been a "significant" source of funding for the light bulb distribution programme.
"Truth be told only one Member of Parliament from the Jamaica Labour Party made any contribution and it was Andrew Holness," said Spencer. He told supporters that he felt "compelled" to discuss the allegations even though he was likely to get "into trouble with the legal people".
He assured the people that he has signed no cheques relating to the light bulb programme and received no payments.
Claiming that at one stage last month he felt "down and out" and "like a soldier at war (who) picked up two shot below the heart", Spencer thanked Comrades in NE St Elizabeth and particularly in Braes River for standing behind him.
Comment