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The People's National Party (PNP) has decided that it will not take any action at this time against former Junior Energy Minister Kern Spencer who remains at the centre of the Cuban Light Bulb Scandal.
It was widely expected that the Party's Executive would have acted decisively during Monday night's meeting.
However, a three hour meeting involving senior officials on Monday night ended with an announcement that the matter would be referred to the Party's Internal Affairs Commission.
General Secretary Peter Bunting declared that the Party cannot take action against Mr. Spencer until it officially receives the Contractor-General's Report.
"The Executive has taken a decision that upon official receipt of the Contractor-General's Report...[it] will be referred to the Internal Affairs Commission of the party for its consideration," said Mr. Bunting.
Mr. Bunting says the Contractor General's Report is not official until it is tabled in Parliament.
Mr. Spencer was among several PNP Members of Parliament who attended Monday night's meeting.
And in her first public comment on the Cuban Light Bulb Saga, PNP President Portia Simpson-Miller Monday night insisted that the Party would not take action on a leaked report.
Mrs. Simpson-Miller said while the Party does not condone corruption, it was proceeding cautiously in dealing with the matter.
"If something is referred to the DPP, the police and other agencies then it is not something we can comment on at this time and the position of the People's National Party, the General Secretary stated it earlier that we await the official report and it will be referred to the Internal Affairs of the People's National Party," said Mrs. Simpson-Miller.
When questioned whether the Party was concerned about possible backlash for not acting decisively, Chairman Robert Pickersgill said the PNP is resolute on its position.
He says Mr. Spencer is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Mr. Pickersgill added that the law should be allowed to take its course.
Meanwhile, the PNP is being criticised for its stance.
Political Analyst Shalman Scott believes the Party will suffer further fallout.
"It has placed the PNP in a deteriorating moral hole out of which it must climb. The PNP could miss the broader point of public perception of corruption which must be dealt with if only Kern Spencer is finally held up as the sacrificial lamb, even this maybe politically justifiable," said Mr. Scott.
Political Commentator Helene Davis-White warned that the PNP is heading in the wrong direction in terms of its treatment of the Cuban Light Bulb Affair.
"I don't think the PNP should necessarily jump to conclusions. One would think that a matter of this sort should be dealt with expeditiously because the longer it drags out it can have a deleterious effect for the Party as persons will be forming their opinions based on one side of the story," said Mrs. Davis-White.
It was widely expected that the Party's Executive would have acted decisively during Monday night's meeting.
However, a three hour meeting involving senior officials on Monday night ended with an announcement that the matter would be referred to the Party's Internal Affairs Commission.
General Secretary Peter Bunting declared that the Party cannot take action against Mr. Spencer until it officially receives the Contractor-General's Report.
"The Executive has taken a decision that upon official receipt of the Contractor-General's Report...[it] will be referred to the Internal Affairs Commission of the party for its consideration," said Mr. Bunting.
Mr. Bunting says the Contractor General's Report is not official until it is tabled in Parliament.
Mr. Spencer was among several PNP Members of Parliament who attended Monday night's meeting.
And in her first public comment on the Cuban Light Bulb Saga, PNP President Portia Simpson-Miller Monday night insisted that the Party would not take action on a leaked report.
Mrs. Simpson-Miller said while the Party does not condone corruption, it was proceeding cautiously in dealing with the matter.
"If something is referred to the DPP, the police and other agencies then it is not something we can comment on at this time and the position of the People's National Party, the General Secretary stated it earlier that we await the official report and it will be referred to the Internal Affairs of the People's National Party," said Mrs. Simpson-Miller.
When questioned whether the Party was concerned about possible backlash for not acting decisively, Chairman Robert Pickersgill said the PNP is resolute on its position.
He says Mr. Spencer is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Mr. Pickersgill added that the law should be allowed to take its course.
Meanwhile, the PNP is being criticised for its stance.
Political Analyst Shalman Scott believes the Party will suffer further fallout.
"It has placed the PNP in a deteriorating moral hole out of which it must climb. The PNP could miss the broader point of public perception of corruption which must be dealt with if only Kern Spencer is finally held up as the sacrificial lamb, even this maybe politically justifiable," said Mr. Scott.
Political Commentator Helene Davis-White warned that the PNP is heading in the wrong direction in terms of its treatment of the Cuban Light Bulb Affair.
"I don't think the PNP should necessarily jump to conclusions. One would think that a matter of this sort should be dealt with expeditiously because the longer it drags out it can have a deleterious effect for the Party as persons will be forming their opinions based on one side of the story," said Mrs. Davis-White.
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