By Lynford Simpson, Staff Reporter
Blair
POLITICAL OMBUDSMAN, Bishop Herro Blair, says it could take up to six months for his office to complete investigations into dozens of complaints brought by the two major political parties during campaigning for the October 16 general election.
He said 58 complaints were still being probed, 12 of which could take another six months before they are settled.
The 12, he said, relate to complaints about guns and fighting. He was not specific about the nature of the complaints, explaining that they were of a sensitive nature. Others relate to allegations of political misconduct, politically related violence and other atrocities.
The Ombudsman disclosed that a settlement was reached on the controversial "Weeping mothers of Jamaica"-sponsored advertisement in the Jamaica Observer of September 13, which he had condemned. The offending advertisement had images of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Local Government Minister Portia Simpson Miller superimposed on a crowd of People's National Party (PNP) supporters at a mass meeting in Four Paths, Clarendon, at which a miniature green coffin with the words "Seaga, pampers, baby dead" was paraded.
The parading of the coffin had drawn a similarly sharp rebuke from the Ombudsman and led to a public apology by the PNP, to Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Edward Seaga, and his wife Carla. Mrs Seaga who was in an advanced state of pregnancy at the time, gave birth to a baby girl later that month.
In condemning the JLP's ad, Bishop Blair said at the time that it contravened the Political Code of Conduct. He had promised to investigate the matter and take appropriate action.
"We have done serious investigations on that and came up with a decision," was all the information he volunteered yesterday.
The Bishop told The Gleaner that all the complaints "except one or two" were brought by the PNP and JLP.
Referring to the outstanding complaints Bishop Blair said: "We will pursue them relentlessly because we are required by law to investigate". He pointed out that some may be referred to Parliament as the law requires that the party leaders take action. Failure on the part of the leaders to take action results in Parliament being notified with a view to taking action.
Again without providing details, Bishop Blair, in a press release on Monday said some of the complaints that were registered with his office before and during the election, were "settled amicably".
He said the office had sought to use the period after the election to hold meetings with persons representing different sectors, with a view to gauge the effectiveness of the office.
Beginning January 6, complainants will appear before the Ombudsman in order to facilitate the process of further investigations, the release said.
