OPPOSITION SENATOR and active People's National Party (PNP) member Basil Waite reportedly left the private session of the party's annual conference $400,000 short and a laptop poorer late yesterday.

The low-keyed private session of the PNP's annual conference was yesterday marred by the alleged break-in of a Ford Expedition SUV belonging to Waite, who is also a member of the powerful National Executive Council.

A laptop and a briefcase containing $400,000, among other items, were taken from Waite's car.

security concerns

The incident brings into sharp focus the level of security at the conference. At a press conference midweek, PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill and General Secretary Peter Bunting promised that the security would be tight in keeping with party requirements and the shooting incident at the Jamaica Labour Party's annual conference in November of last year, which left one man dead.

Waite's SUV was parked on the premises of the Old Hope Road-based Jamaica College, opposite the Chinese Benevolent Associa-tion, where the private session of the PNP conference was being held.

When The Sunday Gleaner team arrived on the scene, an obviously upset Waite, who was in discussion with police personnel, confirmed that his vehicle had been broken into. A front window of the Ford Expedition had been smashed, with splinters scattered on the seat and on the ground.

The police had no explanation for Waite regarding the lack of security personnel patrolling the grounds.

Deputy General Secretary Luther Buchanan, who was also among the small crowd of onlookers, was unable to shed light on the incident: "My understanding is that the vehicle was broken into, I am not sure if it was the only vehicle."

group of men

A man said he had earlier witnessed a group of men with what appeared to be a motor vehicle alarm remote prowling on the com-pound and checking the doors of several motor vehicles.

He said he reported the matter to the policemen who stood at the gate. "The police started to circle the area, I left because the men were watching me." He said one of the men was clad in a "half pants and merino, while another was bleached with a handkerchief over a section of his face".

An orange-garb-clad PNP supporter told The Sunday Gleaner that Waite called his mobile phone at 5:11 in the afternoon to inform him about the incident.

gary.spaulding@gleanerjm.com