Jubilant supporters of Kern Spencer (centre) welcome the embattled Member of Parliament for North East St Elizabeth on his arrival at the Santa Cruz Primary School in St Elizabeth, where he attended a central executive meeting in his constituency on Thursday night. - Photo by Stephen Brown

WESTERN BUREAU:

Comrades calling for the resignation of Kern Spencer could have a real fight on their hands as his North East St Elizabeth constituency delegates are standing firmly behind him.

The embattled People's National Party (PNP) member of parliament spent three nights in jail last week after he was arrested by the police and slapped with several charges for his role in the Cuban light bulb project, over which he had ministerial responsibility.

It is alleged that he benefited improperly from the implementation of the project, which racked up a $276 million expenditure bill.

"Unless him gone a prison, and if him even gone a prison, is our MP same way. A him we vote fa, so nobody should decide what is best for us!" shouted one man.

Strictly Kern

He was among scores of delegates and supporters who, on Thursday evening, gathered at the Santa Cruz Primary School in St Elizabeth, where PNP general secretary Peter Bunting met with the central executive body for the constituency.

"We are the ones who put Kern Spencer in Parliament and we should be the ones to decide if he goes. Right now, we are saying 'Strictly Kern', and nobody else coming to North East," an elderly woman told The Gleaner.

The highlight of the two-hour meeting, which Bunting described as "a dialogue among Comrades", was the arrival of Spencer about 7:11 p.m. He was greeted by supporters who hoisted him in the air and carried him to the meeting room, located on the upper floor of a building.

"The constituency continues its political work; there are no further developments to discuss," said a curt Michael Peart - chairman of PNP Region Five (St Elizabeth and Manchester) - following the meeting.

Spencer, who avoided questions from journalists, is scheduled to return to court on March 26. He is charged along with Rodney Chin and his former personal assistant, Coleen Wright. They are answering several charges, including money laundering, conspiracy to defraud and breaches of the Prevention of Corruption Act.