General Secretary of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP), Donald Buchanan, yester-day reserved comment on the controversial Cuban light-bulb programme, saying the party was shying away from judgement until a commissioned report was examined.

Former Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell and his deputy Kern Spencer are to present the report to Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller by next week Monday.

Following a PNP Regional Executive Council (REC) meeting for Region Five in St. Elizabeth yesterday, Buchanan said it would be premature to comment now.

But PNP Vice-President Dr. Peter Phillips said there are questions that must be dealt with.

"No one should doubt that we are a party committed to the highest standards of administration and integrity," he said at the Region Three REC meeting in Kingston.

At the same time, Dr. Phillips said the governing Jamaica Labour Party should not try to conjure appearances of scandals as a means of diverting the county's focus from scrutinising its performance.

The Contractor General and the Auditor General have been asked to probe the 'free' light-bulb project which incurred more than $286 million.

The five PNP regional executive councils held meetings yesterday. During the meetings, the councils' chairmen were appointed.

Correspondent Michael McLean contributed to this story.

PNP REGIONAL leadership

REGION ONE

Mark Campbell (chairman)

REGION TWO

Donald Rhodd (chairman)

REGION THREE

Phillip Paulwell (chairman)

Michael Palmer (secretary)

REGION FOUR

Unavailable

REGION FIVE

Michael Peart (chairman)

Kern Spencer (vice-chairman)

Paul Lyn (vice-chairman)