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Broderick cuts out 'groceries' aid
Published: Tuesday | November 29, 2011 27 Comments
A $2,000 voucher issued to constituents in North Clarendon under the non-existent 'Peoples Act', which is "good for the purchase of [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue ! important]groceries[/COLOR][/COLOR]", is to be withdrawn.
Laurence Broderick, the member of parliament (MP) for the constituency, told The Gleaner yesterday the voucher, which bears his image, would no longer be circulated.
"I have given instructions for it to stop since I heard that it has offended people," Broderick told The Gleaner.
The Opposition People's National Party (PNP), through its general secretary, Peter Bunting, has cried shame on Broderick, accusing him of attempting to buy the votes of constituents. In his defence, the first-time MP, who is in a tight race with the PNP's Horace Dalley for the seat, said his decision to distribute the vouchers was not made with a political end in mind.
He said it was started in May of this year and is funded through private donations, as well as from his Constituency Development Fund.
"I have always had programmes of that nature to help those who are not coping well. I have put $500,000 in the programme," Broderick said.
The voucher, which also bears the national flag and coat of arms, is marked "Issued under the Peoples Act."
The Gleaner's checks of law catalogues do not reveal the existence of any such law. Asked to explain the reason for such a notation, the MP said: "I think my office was just being creative."
In the meantime, Broderick said the issuing of the vouchers was not illegal.
"As far as I am concerned, I don't know how the rules just change. My understanding is that you have to cease to give out anything of that nature from you are nominated."
He added: "That means that anybody issuing something could not even issue a farm-[COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]work[/COLOR][/COLOR] ticket. Everything now becomes suspicious. In May of this year when that programme was put in place, there was no election in sight. I don't know what this whole hullabaloo is about."
Not the only way
Broderick, however, said the distribution of vouchers was not the only way to reach people in need of assistance.
"One can easily do it the other way. One can easily go and buy a bag of rice, a bag of [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue ! important]flour[/COLOR][/COLOR], and get a big enamel jug and go and scoop it out yourself," Broderick said.
In the 2007 general election, Broderick defeated Dalley by 277 votes to take the seat for the JLP. Acknowledging that the race for Gordon House could be tight whenever an election is announced, Broderick said he was working hard to be returned.
"I am optimistic and I think I will be successful," he told The Gleaner.
daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com
Published: Tuesday | November 29, 2011 27 Comments
A $2,000 voucher issued to constituents in North Clarendon under the non-existent 'Peoples Act', which is "good for the purchase of [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue ! important]groceries[/COLOR][/COLOR]", is to be withdrawn.
Laurence Broderick, the member of parliament (MP) for the constituency, told The Gleaner yesterday the voucher, which bears his image, would no longer be circulated.
"I have given instructions for it to stop since I heard that it has offended people," Broderick told The Gleaner.
The Opposition People's National Party (PNP), through its general secretary, Peter Bunting, has cried shame on Broderick, accusing him of attempting to buy the votes of constituents. In his defence, the first-time MP, who is in a tight race with the PNP's Horace Dalley for the seat, said his decision to distribute the vouchers was not made with a political end in mind.
He said it was started in May of this year and is funded through private donations, as well as from his Constituency Development Fund.
"I have always had programmes of that nature to help those who are not coping well. I have put $500,000 in the programme," Broderick said.
The voucher, which also bears the national flag and coat of arms, is marked "Issued under the Peoples Act."
The Gleaner's checks of law catalogues do not reveal the existence of any such law. Asked to explain the reason for such a notation, the MP said: "I think my office was just being creative."
In the meantime, Broderick said the issuing of the vouchers was not illegal.
"As far as I am concerned, I don't know how the rules just change. My understanding is that you have to cease to give out anything of that nature from you are nominated."
He added: "That means that anybody issuing something could not even issue a farm-[COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]work[/COLOR][/COLOR] ticket. Everything now becomes suspicious. In May of this year when that programme was put in place, there was no election in sight. I don't know what this whole hullabaloo is about."
Not the only way
Broderick, however, said the distribution of vouchers was not the only way to reach people in need of assistance.
"One can easily do it the other way. One can easily go and buy a bag of rice, a bag of [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue ! important]flour[/COLOR][/COLOR], and get a big enamel jug and go and scoop it out yourself," Broderick said.
In the 2007 general election, Broderick defeated Dalley by 277 votes to take the seat for the JLP. Acknowledging that the race for Gordon House could be tight whenever an election is announced, Broderick said he was working hard to be returned.
"I am optimistic and I think I will be successful," he told The Gleaner.
daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com
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