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PNP executive to discuss damning light bulb report
ALICIA DUNKLEY, Observer staff reporter dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, February 07, 2008
THE Opposition People's National Party says its executive committee will decide if any action should be taken by the party against any of its members in light of the damning findings by Contractor General Greg Christie on the controversial Cuban light bulb project.
Christie, in his report made public this week, accused former junior minister Kern Spencer of "improper, unauthorised and unlawful intervention in the project's procurement, contract award and contract payment processes" in the 4M Project initiated by the previous administration for the installation of free light bulbs donated by the Cuban Government.
However, members of the PNP's executive who met Tuesday to review Christie's report said in a statement yesterday that the party strongly disapproved of several actions pointed out in the report.
But general secretary Peter Bunting said there were aspects of the report which the party could not dispute.
"The breaches of procurement procedures, the fact that there was no transparency or competition in the award of the contract, and the apparent nepotism having to do with his (Spencer's) child's mother and the grandmother of the child; those matters are not in dispute and we are saying these matters we strongly disapprove of," Bunting told the Observer yesterday.
"The party needs to look carefully at these and if they decide to do so it would have implications for Mr Spencer, it could have implications for his position within the party," the PNP general secretary said.
However, Bunting said there was not much the party could say with respect to Spencer's position as an elected member of parliament. ".It would have to be a personal decision on his part, I don't want to suggest that it could go that far," said Bunting.
"He was already removed as a deputy spokesperson so the party may decide that no further action is necessary; I don't want to prejudge because everybody has a right to due process and I wouldn't want to suggest that he is just being thrown to the wolves, but I think the areas of the report that are not in dispute raise serious concerns for the party," Bunting added.
The PNP's executive committee meets on Mondays, but Bunting said it was uncertain whether the committee would be in a position to take a conclusive decision by next Monday.
The Opposition has, in the meantime, expressed disappointment that 'unauthorised copies' of the contractor general's report were leaked to the media before being tabled in Parliament, as is required by the law.
ALICIA DUNKLEY, Observer staff reporter dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, February 07, 2008
THE Opposition People's National Party says its executive committee will decide if any action should be taken by the party against any of its members in light of the damning findings by Contractor General Greg Christie on the controversial Cuban light bulb project.
Christie, in his report made public this week, accused former junior minister Kern Spencer of "improper, unauthorised and unlawful intervention in the project's procurement, contract award and contract payment processes" in the 4M Project initiated by the previous administration for the installation of free light bulbs donated by the Cuban Government.
However, members of the PNP's executive who met Tuesday to review Christie's report said in a statement yesterday that the party strongly disapproved of several actions pointed out in the report.
But general secretary Peter Bunting said there were aspects of the report which the party could not dispute.
"The breaches of procurement procedures, the fact that there was no transparency or competition in the award of the contract, and the apparent nepotism having to do with his (Spencer's) child's mother and the grandmother of the child; those matters are not in dispute and we are saying these matters we strongly disapprove of," Bunting told the Observer yesterday.
"The party needs to look carefully at these and if they decide to do so it would have implications for Mr Spencer, it could have implications for his position within the party," the PNP general secretary said.
However, Bunting said there was not much the party could say with respect to Spencer's position as an elected member of parliament. ".It would have to be a personal decision on his part, I don't want to suggest that it could go that far," said Bunting.
"He was already removed as a deputy spokesperson so the party may decide that no further action is necessary; I don't want to prejudge because everybody has a right to due process and I wouldn't want to suggest that he is just being thrown to the wolves, but I think the areas of the report that are not in dispute raise serious concerns for the party," Bunting added.
The PNP's executive committee meets on Mondays, but Bunting said it was uncertain whether the committee would be in a position to take a conclusive decision by next Monday.
The Opposition has, in the meantime, expressed disappointment that 'unauthorised copies' of the contractor general's report were leaked to the media before being tabled in Parliament, as is required by the law.
talk to me about the core values again...i seem to be missing something! 
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