Pickersgill

The police fraud squad has been called in to probe the People's National Party (PNP) for an alleged case of fraud.

The case involves a cheque for $2 million which was issued by the party's campaign committee, but was dishonoured by the bank.

The cheque was to pay for work done by public relations specialists Margaret Miller and Angela Thame in the lead-up to last year's general election.

Miller told The Gleaner she called in the police after she failed in repeated attempts to have the cheque replaced.

"I spoke to several persons in the PNP and all I have been getting is promises and good words," Miller said.

Sought help

According to Miller, she wrote to PNP President Portia Simpson Miller on March 10, seeking help to have the matter resolved, but was yet to receive a formal response.

In her letter, Miller claimed she was contracted by two senior members of the PNP campaign team to provide media services and was given a cheque for $2 million three days after the election, but the cheque "bounced".

"It has been six months since the general election. It is now at a critical stage for some kind of settlement to be reached. I cannot continue to be in this position of compromise any longer," Miller said in her letter to the PNP president.

The public relations specialist argued that all records of the services she provided are with the PNP and she could see no good reason why it was taking so long to replace a dishonoured cheque.

Yesterday PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill admitted the party owed the debt and offered his apology to Miller for the time it was taking to replace the cheque.

"I can say we are doing our best to pay over the money, but the party had $50 million in debt to deal with after the elections," Pickersgill said.

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com