Blythe
Garwin Davis, Assistant News Editor
SENIOR officials within the ruling People's National Party (PNP) are worried that the allegations surrounding irregularities at the National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC) could seriously affect the party's re-election campaign.
They have dismissed reports reaching The Sunday Gleaner that senior officials within the party, embarrassed because this is coming so soon behind the NetServ scandal, and wary that this current scandal could spell doomsday for the PNP, would like nothing better than to see the back of Dr. Karl Blythe, Minister of Water and Housing under whose watch the NHDC falls. However, one member admitted that "people will be riled up".
They are, however, hoping that if anything should come from the investigations currently under way at the NHDC, it will come quickly enough so the party can focus on its election campaign.
"I am not in a position to speak to the specifics about NHDC as that is a Government matter and I am no longer in Government," explained PNP's General Secretary, Maxine Henry-Wilson. "But as far as the campaign goes, of course it's a distraction." Asked whether she believes the distraction would be enough to cause the party to lose ground, Mrs. Henry-Wilson said that it was "far too early to gauge" the pulse of the electorate but conceded that it was reason for concern.
"The perception that the party is somehow corrupt and that this is something, which defines us is particularly troubling," she added. Especially in light of the fact that it goes against our ideals, including everything we believe in as a party."
And pressed on whether the PNP will be going on with its campaign regardless of what will transpire, Mrs. Henry-Wilson was quick to point out that, "It can't be a case of whatever happens," she said. "This is something that will have to be looked at thoroughly and will be addressed accordingly." The NHDC is currently embroiled in controversy over what the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has charged, has been numerous irregularities involving millions of dollars of questionable payments and cost overruns on projects. The JLP has also alleged that former managing director of the NHDC, Christopher Honeywell resigned from the agency rather than sign off on an overpayment of $35 million on an NHDC project. Dr. Blythe, in categorically denying the charges, has called for the auditing of all agencies which falls under his Ministry.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson notes that the quicker the people of the country know the truth then the better it would be for the PNP to focus on its campaign. She notes that the party runs the risk of having its message becoming diluted with all the cloud of uncertainties hanging in the air.
"The real problem for me here is that we have such a positive message we want to get out," she adds. And drawing reference from the recent Don Anderson poll, which shows the PNP, for the first time in more than a year, marginally ahead of the JLP, Mrs. Henry-Wilson said, "I have always been telling people that it is never over until it is over."
Another senior PNP official who requested anonymity agreed. "Sure, this NHDC thing is something we could have done without," he said. "But I guess this is the silly season and everything now becomes fair game."
Asked whether he believed this could affect the party's chances for a record fourth term, he notes "only time will tell. We did an internal poll and NetServ didn't show up at all on the radar, so one never knows. Mr. Audley Shaw, as is his right as a member of the opposition, is out again doing his detective-style work - everybody wants to score political points. The Prime Minister did not shy away from NetServ and after Cabinet I am sure he will be addressing this issue."
The PNP official also took aim at Opposition Leader Edward Seaga, noting that Mr. Seaga was not in a position to call for anybody's resignation.
"In any self-respecting country Mr. Seaga would not be around much less to be calling for people's resignation," he said. "He is not qualified to be doing this and should leave the stone-throwing to others."
Mr. Seaga, at a JLP press conference on Friday, called for Dr. Blythe's resignation.
But it seems that Mr. Seaga is not the only one calling for his resignation. The Sunday Gleaner has been reliably informed by sources within the PNP that similar calls are coming from a number of senior officials within the party.
However, speaking off the record, a high-ranking party member said, "I must confess I have not heard it but of course it is being discussed... I supposed people will be riled up but we have a strict and strong tradition in the party of dealing with things in a proper manner." That proper manner he said would be giving Dr. Blythe a hearing. He pointed out that Dr. Blythe was a Cabinet Minister and vice-president indicating that he was not an ordinary member of the party.
Meanwhile, the Central Westmoreland PNP Executive issued a statement yesterday saying that they were "standing solidly" behind Dr. Blythe and was confident that "he would not be found guilty of any shady dealings, once the audit has been completed.
