Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter

Kern Spencer (right), member of parliament for North East St Elizabeth, embraces a supporter on his arrival at the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. Spencer, along with co-accused Rodney Chin and Coleen Wright, is facing charges of money laundering and corruption in connection with the Cuban light-bulb project. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

KERN SPENCER, the politician facing the court on corruption and money-laundering charges, has admitted that he was worried when he was first arrested.

"I was nervous in the beginning, but I am not nervous now," Spencer told The Gleaner yesterday, minutes after he made another court appearance.

Spencer, who is the member of parliament for North East St Elizabeth, said he is now awaiting the trial and that he expects to be vindicated.

"My defence team is ready and we are anxious to have trial begin. I have read and I have read extensively and I am anxiously waiting to put my side forward," he told journalists.

Spencer, along with co-accused Rodney Chin and Coleen Wright, appeared in the Corporate Area Magistrate's Court yesterday to answer money laundering and corruption charges, arising out of the Cuban light-bulb project which racked up an implementation cost of $276 million.

Yesterday, the accused spent only 12 minutes in the dock, but the trial did not get under way as Chin's defence team indicated that it was not in a position to begin.

Chin's attorney Heron Dale told the court that lead counsel Richard Small was in the United States and was unavoidably absent. According to Dale, the defence team was also not ready to proceed as it was not sufficiently armed with the facts of the case.

Small and Dale take over from Valerie Neita-Robertson who was relieved by Chin last week.

Documents sent

Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn told the court that all documents relating to the case had been sent to the defence teams.

According to Llewellyn, the prosecution was ready to begin the trial.

Attorney Deborah Martin, who is representing Spencer, told journalists that she was confident that the delay in the trial was not a deliberate ploy to gain an advantage.

"We wish to have this matter resolved quickly," Martin said.

Spencer and his co-accused will return to court on Thursday, September 18, when the matter will again be mentioned and a date set for the start of the trial.