Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator

Dark clouds are hanging over Member of Parliament for North Central St. Andrew, Karl Samuda, after Government MP Donald Buchanan moved a censure motion against him in absentia, for claims he made in relation to a purported Noel Hylton report in June.

On the motion of adjournment at yesterday's sitting of Parliament, Mr. Buchanan charged that Mr. Samuda had misled the House, saying that Hylton, chairman of the Port Authority of Jamaica, had submitted a report to Cabinet and former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson on the Sandals Whitehouse hotel project.

The Government MP suggested that because the Opposition made it clear that Mr. Samuda would not be withdrawing misleading comments on the matter, the censure motion had to be moved against him.

But Mr. Samuda, the Opposition Spokesman on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, anticipating this move, had challenged the Government during an earlier interview with The Gleaner to "bring it on."

"This Government can do anything they wish, they don't intimidate any of us in the slightest way. This is just cheap politics," declared Samuda on August 22. "... If they want to do that, feel free, be my guest ... Bring it on. It doesn't worry me at all."

Demanded an apology

Yesterday, Leader of Government Business in the House, Dr. Peter Phillips, demanded an apology from Mr. Samuda on the same issue, charging that his statement on the alleged report was erroneous.

In his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in June, Mr. Samuda said that Mr. Hylton had submitted a report to Cabinet and Patterson on the Sandals Whitehouse fiasco.

In the wake of more than US$43 million in cost overruns on the project, Patterson had asked Hylton to conduct an investigation into the matter.

However, quoting from a letter written by Hylton, Dr. Phillips said the Port Authority of Jamaica chairman, as well as Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Carlton Davis, had confirmed that no such report was presented to Cabinet or the former Prime Minister.

Responding, Opposition Leader Bruce Golding challenged Dr. Phillips to take whatever action he deemed appropriate.

"I speak on behalf of the member to indicate to the House that he has no intention of either withdrawing or apologising," Mr. Golding stated.

With superior numbers in Parliament, the censure motion moved by Mr. Buchanan against Mr. Samuda is expected to be carried. However, it is not known what specific action could be taken against the MP for allegedly misleading the House.