Ennis resigns

By Erica Virtue, Staff Reporter

Errol Ennis

MINISTER OF State in the Ministry of Finance Errol Ennis resigned yesterday following revelations that at least seven cheques he had tendered to settle gambling debts had bounced.

A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday afternoon said Mr. Ennis had resigned his ministerial post with immediate effect.

"Mr. Ennis's letter of resignation will be submitted to the Acting Prime Minister, Seymour Mullings, tomorrow May, 30th, 2001," the OPM statement said.

Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, is in Malaysia.

According to the OPM statement, Mr. Ennis indicated his resignation was intended "to admit error of judgement and to relieve the party of the embarrassment of his action".

The State Minister had been under pressure to resign following his admission, which was reported in The Sunday Gleaner, that he had tendered two cheques totalling $23,000 which were returned.

When Mr. Ennis spoke with The Sunday Gleaner last week he said, "Yes, it was a private matter involving two cheques totalling $23,000 which was made out to a company under the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission."

However, it emerged yesterday that at least seven cheques were involved totalling more than $80,000.

Copies of the cheques obtained by The Gleaner indicated cheques were drawn on accounts at Union Bank, National Commercial Bank and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). The largest sum was $17,730 and the smallest was $4,400. The cheques were tendered between January and March this year. In one instance, a cheque for $17,600 was drawn on a closed account at CIBC in Port Antonio, Portland.

Several cheques were made out to Prime Sports Limited, a gaming house located at a Kingston hotel. Two directors of the company are sons of former chairman of Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) Danny Melville.

Mr. Melville resigned as Member of Parliament for North East St. Ann last year and severely criticised the current politics of the country saying his role as a parliamentarian seemed to be defined as an attender of funerals, co-ordinator of patronage and a symbol of tribalism.

Since then, Melville has been blamed for loss of support for the PNP in parts of St. Ann.

Last week, Mr. Ennis described the public revelation of the bounced cheques as embarrassing, but said he would not allow anyone to deter him from the task ahead. He also said he would contest the West Portland seat again for the PNP in the upcoming elections. He has been MP since 1989.

However, in the release from The Office of the Prime Minister, Mr. Ennis future as MP seemed uncertain.

The release said: "Mr. Ennis has indicated he will discuss his tenure as Member of Parliament for West Portland with his constituents and the party president, when he returns to the island next week".

At an earlier post-Cabinet press conference at Jamaica House, Information Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson, grilled by journalists, said members of the Cabinet were not told Mr. Ennis's portfolio responsibility had been changed.

However, at least one Cabinet Minister and the Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Carlton Davis, appeared to have known about the change.

A joint release from both last week, but which was under the signature of Dr. Omar Davies, said, "I assumed responsibility for Betting and Gaming in March 2001."

The report said, it was decided "... Minister Ennis would be released from responsibilities relating to the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission, including horse racing in order to allow him to focus attention on project implementation."

The projects named included the North Coast Highway and other road projects financed by the European Union and the Kuwaiti Government.

FACT FILE

Born: January 28, 1942.

Educated at: Kingston College, Ealing Technical College; Reading University (Berks; UK).

Financial Analyst, Estates Duties, Office (UK).

Vice President Projects at Jamaica Development Bank (1971-1981).

Entered representational politics as caretaker in 1984 and defeated JLP's St. Clair Shirley in 1989 general elections by 871 votes to become MP for West Portland.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance since 1989.

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