Adrian Frater, News Editor
Western Bureau:
The report regarding allegations of irregularities, abuse of power and political nepotism in the distribution of St. James Parish Council lands at Bogue, in Montego Bay, is finally ready.
"It is a little late but it is now ready," said Montego Bay publisher Lloyd B. Smith, who chaired the committee appointed by Local Government Minister Portia Simpson-Miller to examine the submissions made by the St. James Parish Council to bring closure to issues which attracted national attention.
Other members of the committee were businessmen Mark Kerr-Jarrett and Winston Dear, the current and immediate past presidents of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce respectively; St. James Parish Councillors Charles Sinclair and Donald Colomathi.
The report, which will be handed over to Minister Simpson Miller, could have far-reaching implications for the persons now occupying the Bogue Land property. Sources close to the investigations say that persons had built houses without the requisite approval of the parish council and that the land was sold way below true market value.
Following the 2002 Local Government Elections, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration, which took control of the St. James Parish Council, created a major firestorm when they accused their People's National Party (PNP) predecessors of behaving inappropriately in a bid to turn over sections of the Bogue Lands to PNP activists and the family and friends of party officials.
With almost weekly verbal clashes between the JLP majority and their PNP counterparts, Councillor Charles Sinclair was mandated by Mayor Noel Donaldson to investigate the claims and document his findings to the council.
gross irregularities
Councillor Sinclair produced a scathing 12-page report, in which he said he found evidence pointing to gross irregularities, including major abuse of power on the part of members of the previous administration as well as one glaring case of political nepotism involving a top government official.
With the JLP councillors calling for a commission of enquiry amid claims that the previous administration had allowed PNP supporters to capture substantial sections of the Bogue Lands and subsequently allowed to build without hindrance in clear breach of the Town and Country Planning Act, Minister Simpson Miller intervened and appointed Dennis Morrison Q.C. to head a team to investigate the findings in Councillor Sinclair's report. He was given until early December 2004 to present his findings.
Following the release of Mr. Morrison's findings, the parish council met in caucus and made a submission to Minister Simpson Miller, outlining how they would like to see the matter resolved. The minister subsequently appointed a committee headed by Mr. Smith to examine the council's submission and make appropriate recommendations to bring the matter to closure.
In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner last week, councillor Sinclair voiced serious concerns over the long delay in the submission of Mr. Smith's report, claiming that, "The committee has done its work and I see no reason why the chairman has not compiled the report and submitted to the
minister."
"I know my colleagues at the council are quite disappointed with the long delay because we want to have this matter settled once and for all," Councillor Sinclair said. "We are not prepared to sit idly by and allow this matter to drag on forever. What we are talking about is valuable parish council assets."
