Edmond Campbell, News Coordinator

General Secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Karl Samuda, is accusing the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce of abuse of public trust by publishing the achievements of the ministry in a newspaper supplement.

Mr. Samuda, the shadow minister on trade further charges that the publication "places the government in an advantageous position and an unfair advantage given to them in a time when we are contesting for state power."

He has asked the Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair, to investigate the matter and make a ruling.

Promote himself

"It's a travesty to use public funds to try and promote himself (Phillip Paulwell) just prior to a general election," Mr. Samuda told The Gleaner. "And I brought that very forcefully to the attention of the Ombudsman, and we discussed it across the table, and I am awaiting his ruling on it."

Efforts to get a comment from the Political Ombudsman on the issue were unsuccessful.

In an interview, Mr. Samuda argued that, if a ministry wanted to bring to public attention highlights of its performance, it should be done without, using extensively, images of the minister which, he said, appeared 17 times in a 16-page document.

He argued that in 1997 the Minister of Industry was Dr. Paul Robertson, and the technology component of the ministry did not exist. On this basis,he said the supplement was a false presentation of the facts. "Therefore, we find it reprehensible, and, to make matters worse, is that it says that this is the first of what appears to be a series of publications that he plans."

Not directly involved

However, an official from the ministry who agreed to comment, but only off the record, told The Gleaner that the supplement was not the brainchild of the minister, nor was he directly involved in its production.

The source said that the minister's input was sought only when he was asked to submit a message for the publication.

Further, the official argued that it was not the first time that the ministry was producing and publishing a supplement about its achievements, and that it was not done with any partisan political consideration.

Attempts to reach Mr. Paulwell for a comment failed, as his phone rang without an answer.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com