Western Bureau:

The last-minute postponement of yesterday's St. James Electoral Forum has taken on a controversial overtone with conflicting reasons being advanced for the non-staging of the event.

The forum should have featured the candidates for the upcoming general election.

While the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which organised the forum, is contending that the eight candidates were given adequate notice and had confirmed their participation, the candidates are claiming they were only notified at the 11th hour.

"They (the candidates) were given at least a month's notice," said a seemingly embarrassed chamber president Pauline Reid. "Our moderator, Mr. Lloyd B. Smith, was responsible for liaising with them, and gave me an assurance that they were all confirmed."

However, candidates such as Montego Bay Mayor Noel Donaldson, who is contesting the South St. James seat on the Jamaica Labour Party ticket, said he got his invitation only a week ago, which conflicted with his campaign schedule.