Dionne Rose and Edmond Campbell, Gleaner Reporters
INFORMATION MINISTER Colin Campbell has dismissed claims that GoodWorks International was involved in negotiations with the Jamaican Government during talks to divest the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to Mirant Corporation of the United States.
According to Mr. Campbell, at the time JPS was being privatised, GoodWorks was not yet established.
In his capacity as deputy general secretary of the People's National Party, Mr. Campbell said the party would respond to the allegations in full shortly.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bruce Golding said he is yet to be contacted by company lawyers of GoodWorks International.
The company on Friday had threatened to take legal action against him on statements he made about the company being involved in the sale of the JPS to Mirant Corporation.
INAPPROPRIATE
Mr. Golding told reporters at his post-Budget Debate press conference on Friday that the Opposition thought it was 'inappropriate' that former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson had accepted a job with the company.
The company, however, denied being involved in the Mirant negotiations and had given Mr. Golding until yesterday to retract his statements or it would be taking the necessary steps to ensure proper redress.
But up to yesterday when contacted by The Gleaner, Mr. Golding was still defiant. "I have not been in any contact with GoodWorks," he said. "I repeat, it is inappropriate for Mr. Patterson to have accepted that appointment. I made my statement and I stand by what I said."
Last Monday, The Gleaner revealed that Mr. Patterson was to join the company as a senior adviser to the United States consultancy firm. Attempts yesterday to contact Carl Masters, president and chief executive officer of GoodWorks Interna-tional, were unsuccessful as our newsroom was told that he was not in office.
