'$40m to cross floor' Hayles says JLP made offer to buy him

[Karl]

'$40m to cross floor' Hayles says JLP made offer to buy him, PM denies claim
published: Saturday | September 29, 2007

Ian Hayles (centre), Hanover Western Member of Parliament, is in discussion with his PNP colleagues, Colin ************an (left) and Kern Spencer, both MPs, at yesterday's press conference at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, to announce spokespersons for the party. - Norman Grindley/ Deputy Chief Photographer


Hanover Western People's National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament, Ian Hayles, is claiming the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) had offered him a position in Government and $40 million to cross the floor in Parliament, an assertion swiftly denied yesterday by Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

"They have been calling my house offering me millions. One person offered me $40 million," Hayles told The Gleaner,yesterday.

Mr. Hayles, a former vice-president of the JLP's Generation 2000 (G2K), who won his seat in the September 3 general election on a PNP ticket, was on Tuesday confronted by two government senators who reportedly hurled expletives at him.

Being disrespectful
He was accused of being disrespectful to the Prime Minister by senators Dwight Nelson and Aundré Franklin, after he failed to extend the hand of courtesy to Mr. Golding following the taking of the oath of office in Gordon House. Mr. Hayles has since apologised for his conduct.

However, Mr. Golding told The Gleaner yesterday that there was no truth to the claim that the JLP offered money or a position in government to Mr. Hayles.

"We do not consider that Mr. Hayle's position is consonant with the kind of Jamaica we want to build," Mr. Golding said in a terse response.

Mr. Hayles insisted, however, that he was approached. "The strange thing is (that), for the past two weeks, I have been their best friend. They been calling me on the phone; they been sending different emissaries to me, offering me money, offering me positions in government and I turned all of that down, so I understand the anger yesterday (Thursday, September 27)."

Quick intervention
Meanwhile, at a press conference yesterday, to announce PNP spokespersons, Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller said it was her quick intervention that cut short what could have been an explosive situation that was unfolding in the lobby outside the Chamber.
"It was brought to my attention what was happening and I was the one who moved in and prevented what could have been very ugly and, when I went there, what I heard was not very pleasant to my ear as a woman," Mrs. Simpson Miller said.

She commended Mr. Hayles for the "decorum and the discipline" he displayed, while he was under attack.
"I am not going to tolerate that kind of behaviour against any member of the Opposition," she warned.

Commenting on the incident, Prime Minister Golding described it as unfortunate.

"If what I read in the paper (The Gleaner) is correct, it's unfortunate and I think we need to rise above that and move on," he told reporters yesterday morning, following a Jamaica Employers' Federation CEO breakfast meeting at The Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston. He added, "I think you can see the kind of spirit that I am trying to build in Parliament and I think it is going."

[Karl]

Gleaner EDITORIAL - A shameful development

EDITORIAL - A shameful development
published: Saturday | September 29, 2007


The shocking news in the latest report of Transparency International about which we commented yesterday is that Jamaica fell 23 places in a single year from 61 to 84, coming second to last in the Caribbean, with only Guyana below us.

This development must be placed squarely at the feet of the previous government. Indeed, since this rating is for 2006-2007, the responsibility cannot be palmed off on the Patterson regime. It is the administration of the immediate past Prime Minister - Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller - who must answer.

The PNP cannot remain silent, simply shrugging off this damning report as being of no consequence. When Don Wehby was appointed as Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance, they had no difficulty finding their voice. On the contrary, they were vociferous in their condemnations. If the PNP Opposition brushes this report aside, they will only have themselves to blame if the public declines to take their future policy pronouncements with any degree of seriousness.

As Mrs. Beth Aub, former general secretary of the Jamaica chapter of Transparency International, has pointed out, the Trafigura affair no doubt played a major role in our downgrading. It was an international scandal which, up to this day, has never been satisfactorily explained by the then governing party. No steps were taken by the previous government to investigate it and, indeed, some felt that steps of others to air the matter were met with no cooperation whatever. That this offence occurred was bad enough. But to have the reputation of the country dragged in the mud because of the actions of some members of one political party is reprehensible in the extreme.

The new government made the fight against corruption a central plank of their election campaign. Thankfully, they were not discouraged by national polls which showed that the corruption issue is a policy priority for a small minority of the population. We do not believe that the general public is indifferent to corruption. It is more that they are sceptical that any government will ever take firm and fearless steps in this area.

This is why leadership by the Bruce Golding-led Government is so crucial. All the new measures being proposed in procurement, contract awards and oversight, and the appointment of a Special Prosecutor need to be instituted without delay. Egregious cases of corrupt practices in the past government must be pursued aggressively. It is not too late to re-open Trafigura and the many other affairs. The olive branch of engagement cannot mean that we must cover up wrongdoings and let bygones be bygones in the corruption zone. Reconciliation can only come through truth, public exposure and the acceptance of full responsibility.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.