Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Political commentators say the controversial deal involving the Cuban light bulb programme could adversely affect the People's National Party's (PNP) chances of winning the local government election, which is due in December.

Minister of Energy, Mining and Telecommunications Clive Mullings last week asked the Contractor General and the Auditor General to investigate the circumstances under which the previous PNP administration accrued a bill of more than $276.5 million in the distribution of free Cuban light bulbs to Jamaican households.

Move with alacrity

Yesterday, political commentators told The Sunday Gleaner that if the allegation turned out to be true, Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller should move with alacrity and remove the former ministers involved - Phillip Paulwell and his then deputy, Kern Spencer.

Spencer was the state minister entrusted with the responsibility of the light bulb distribution project and reported to Paulwell, who headed the ministry.

"I don't think they have the credibility to continue," stated Richard 'Dickie' Crawford, lecturer in the Department of Government at the University of the West Indies.

The PNP administration, last year, embarked on a programme to replace incandescent bulbs in households with the more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. The Cuban government donated four million of these bulbs. The Jamaican Government was required to meet the cost of clearance, storage and delivery of the bulbs, as well as the transportation of the Cuban volunteers.

"It does not speak well for a foreign country to give us light bulbs and it ends up costing so much money. That is ridiculous!" said Crawford. "With this issue not cleared up (before the local government election), it would be disastrous for them," he added.

Take serious action

Political commentator Lambert Brown, while arguing that the light bulb saga could turn out not to be a big issue, says if it does, Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller should take serious action.

"The party leader should take strong action against those involved and indicate to the country that she is serious about what she said she would do if she found out that any of her members were involved in corrupt practices," advises Brown. He believes by doing so, Simpson Miller would limit any further damage to the PNP.

At the same time, Brown suggested that the allegations about the light bulb project could be a smokescreen by the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

"The JLP has not really changed course and it is evident in the skyrocketing food prices," he said.

He said because of this, the JLP stands to lose the local government election, hence, a scandal in the PNP would be good for the Government at this time.

Incestuous relationship

Energy Minister Mullings left little doubt in Parliament last week that an incestuous relationship might have existed in the awarding of the contracts relating to the distribution of the bulbs. He said Universal Management and Development Company Limited, which reportedly, was incorporated just about the time the delivery of the bulbs commenced in 2006, was due over $85.6 million.

He added that Caribbean Communications Media Network Limited, to which the Government paid over $3.3 million for its services, was incorporated a week before Universal Management and Development Company Limited. The minister said the sole shareholder and director of both companies was the same person.

The Opposition Leader has since ordered the former ministers to submit a report within two weeks.