PEOPLE'S NATIONAL Party (PNP) presidential candidate Portia Simpson Miller's campaign team has urged party General Secretary Burchell Whiteman to carry out investigations into allegations that state funds have been abused to bribe delegates in the presidential race.
Team Portia, in a report to the General Secretary dated yesterday, and signed by Deputy Campaign Manager, Paul Burke, also urged the party not to go into denial about bribery or inducement of party delegates prior to next month's election of a new party leader.
"The fact that rumours, speculations and discussions continue in the corridors of the PNP that financing from state programmes is creeping into the presidential campaign, is extremely disturbing," the report said. "The only way to deal with the issue is as follows:
1. Identify the reports and bring them to the fore.
2. Investigate the issue
3. Report facts and dispel rumours."
The report noted that three issues had been brought to the party's attention through the General Secretary and that, to date, there had been no information forthcoming.
DETAILS NEEDED
"You will recall that at a meeting of representatives of all four campaign teams held and chaired by you in your capacity as General Secretary in November 2005, representatives of Team Portia expressed concerns on this matter. We requested information concerning the spending of funds from the Ministry of National Security's community security initiative and for the repairs, refurbishing and painting of police stations," the report said. "We would want to know the details of the contracts given since September 2005, and in particular, who, what, and where."
According to the report, similar information should be provided about all expenditure regarding the National Road Fund programme, under Mrs. Simpson Miller's Local Government Ministry, to satisfy the campaign manager of another presidential campaign.
"The party should not go into denial about bribery or inducement of party delegates," the report said. "It is a difficult situation to track as there is a thin line between payment for political work, genuine mobilisation to cover transportation, meals and telephone costs, welfare assistance to party members and the sheer bribery of delegates."
In its report, Team Portia also said it wanted a full investigation into the painting of graffiti in Morant Bay, St. Thomas.
