Better late, they say, than never. Kern Spencer was slow to act, but at last, he has been prevailed upon to accept the advice we offered in the wake of the contractor general's report and will seek leave of absence from Parliament.

Mr Spencer was the junior minister for energy in the former People"s National Party (PNP) administration. He was responsible for the management of a project under which Cuba gave Jamaica four million energy-saving light bulbs for free distribution to people.

But according to Greg Christie - the contractor general who reviewed the project - on the face of it, Mr Spencer engaged in the worst form of cronyism and nepotism in the award of contracts that did not go to tender. Indeed, Mr Christie suggests that Mr Spencer may have engaged in a criminal conspiracy to break the procurement rules and to breach the anti-corruption laws.

Good sense and common decency called for Mr Spencer, who had previously exited the shadow Cabinet, to step aside while the criminal investigation called for by Mr Christie proceeded.

At the same time, Mr Spencer would have been aware that the continuous focus on the scandal hurt his party, providing critics with ready-made ammunition. As that argument goes, the PNP was not only corrupt in office but in Mr Spencer, continued to condone corruption.

We, of course, support Mr Spencer's demand that like any other Jamaican, he be presumed innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. A police investigation, or perhaps a judge and a jury, will ultimately determine this.

In the circumstance, it is not surprising that hard-nosed politicians in the PNP, aware of the slurry that threatens to engulf their party, were ready to give Mr. Spencer a nudge. We would not be surprised if, in time, others are pushed - hard, and even overboard.

In the meantime, Mr Spencer would be well aware that morality, decency and good governance are standards beyond the mere letter of the law. These are encompassed in big ideas of right and wrong and integrity.

Perhaps in time, Mr Spencer can prove that he not only understands these things, but is worthy of declaring that he has lived by them.

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