TUFTON

Agriculture Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, yesterday said none of the individuals or bodies that purchased government land between 2004 and 2007 breached the law.

It was reported on Tuesday that Kern Spencer, Member of Parliament for North East St. Elizabeth, was listed among 71 persons/bodies to have purchased government land between 2004 and 2007 without the approval of the Land Divestment Committee, which was established to ensure transparency.

This committee, however, does not have legislative authority.

"None of the purchasers could be accused of breaking the law," Tufton told The Gleaner yesterday.

He added: "One could argue that it may have been inappropriate because they (the properties) were not advertised."

Peralto questions

Tarn Peralto, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament for South East St Mary, had tabled questions to his JLP colleague, Tufton. He wanted to know the number of parcels of government land sold between 2004 and 2007 when the People's National Party formed the government.

Tufton's response on Tuesday, in the House of Representatives, showed that Spencer bought two acres of land in Gilnock, St Catherine, for $2.8 million. It also revealed that Cool Oasis purchased land in Sedburgh, Manchester, for $1.2 million.

This parcel of land in Manchester was part of the property on which then JLP Member of Parliament Audley Shaw's gas station was located. The gas station was later sold to Cool Oasis, a service station chain which is owned by Joe Issa.

Former Minister of Land and Environment, Dean Peart, claimed on Wednesday that Shaw, now Minister of Finance, had captured the land and refused to pay for it. Shaw said he offered to pay.

No law was broken

Asked whether he would be intervening in this matter, Tufton said while it did not go through the Divestment Committee, no law was broken.

Meanwhile, Tufton said Parliament was to amend the Crown Property Vesting Act to give the Divestment Committee legal authority over the divestment of government-owned lands and to ensure that they are properly advertised, among other things. He noted that the amendment of the act is to come early in the next legislative year.

He said the amendment of the act would minimise ministerial discretion and persons could be held accountable for breaching the act.