Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives, Derrick Smith, has advised the Government to increase the pace of disposing of questions and Private Members’ Motions brought by Opposition MPs.

Smith told the House Tuesday that the Opposition was very concerned about how the business of Parliament was being run.

He noted that there are some 36 Private Members’ Motions (PMMs) on the Order Paper, of which only two have been debated and two part-heard. The two part-heard motions were completed Tuesday.

He also noted that of the other 32 PMMs, 23 were from Opposition MPs.

“This situation is totally unacceptable to the Opposition, and gives a clear indication that the Government has no interest in dealing with the business brought here by the Opposition and, by extension, the business of the people,” Smith said.

“If we do not receive (some indication) by sometime next week, when the House Leader (Dr Peter Phillips) should be back, then I can tell you that the Opposition is going to take this to an extreme to ensure that the Private Members’ Motions on the Order Paper are dealt with and dealt with promptly,” he added.

Smith was responding to Deputy House Leader Fitz Jackson, who had indicated that question number 27, which was tabled by Opposition MP Clive Mullings seeking information about the relationship between the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) and Trafigua Beheer, was available but could not be answered because the minister, Phillip Paulwell, would be late.

“We wanted to focus on that one because the last time the member had referred to the importance of the questions,” Jackson had said.

He also pointed out that question 29, also tabled by Mullings, addressing the environmental issue in the Cockpit Country, would be ready for next Tuesday. He said that he hoped to have the other questions for the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce taken together this week.

However, he could give no indication when question 24, asked of the minister of local government and environment by Opposition MP Shahine Robinson concerning the construction of the sports complex at Sligoville, St Catherine, would be answered.

Robinson had tabled the question last October, asking when construction commenced and whether prior approval was given by the local planning authority.

Jackson promised to give an update this week on when that question would be answered.

. The House of Representatives paid tribute on Tuesday to the late Neville Lewis, former minister of local government, who died on December 30, at the age of 76, and was buried on January 13. The town of Lewisville, St Elizabeth was named after him.

Acting Leader of Government Business Fitz Jackson noted that both Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and leader of the opposition, Bruce Golding, had attended the funeral in Lacovia, St Elizabeth.

“On behalf of the Government, I would like to record our appreciation of his service to the country and express our belated condolences to his family,” Jackson said.

Leader of Opposition Business Derrick Smith noted that Lewis was a descendant of former works minister Cleve Lewis, and said that Neville Lewis had served in Parliament for over 16 years representing North West St Elizabeth.

“He was a very quiet man, a humble man and a man with a passion for service,” Smith said.

Minister of information and development Donald Buchanan paid tribute to Lewis as a “fellow member from St Elizabeth”.

“The Lewis family was one of the definitive political families of St Elizabeth,” Buchanan said.

A-G’s report should turn spotlight on Universal Access Fund

The Auditor-General’s Report for 2005/2006, tabled in the House of Representatives last Tuesday, is likely to bring more urgency to bear on a number of questions raised by the Opposition’s spokesman on mining and energy, Clive Mullings, regarding the Universal Access Fund Company Limited (UAFCL).

In his report, the Auditor-General Adrian Strachan said that the revenues collected from the levy imposed on incoming telephone calls which should be paid into the Consolidated Fund, which finances the budget, were being illegally paid to UAFCL.

He pointed out that Section 114 of the Constitution and Section 7 of the Financial Administration and Audit Act require that the funds should have been paid into the budget. He said that the current arrangement excluded parliamentary control over how the funds are used.

Strachan said that the matter has been brought to the attention of Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, which has promised to bring the necessary legislation to Parliament to regularise the situation, but this has not been done although the company has collected some $1.4 billion.

In addition, the auditor-general raised the issue of the $23.3 million paid to a legal firm part-owned by a director of the UAFCL, between June 2005 and July 2006, for various services, and for which, he said, there is no written contract.

On December 26 last year, Mullings had tabled in the House, the following questions to Telecommunications Minister Phillip Paulwell:

“Is Minnette Palmer a member of the board of the Universal Access Fund?”

“Is Palmer and Walters a legal firm providing legal services to the Universal Access Fund?”

“Who are the principals of Palmer and Walters?”

“If any of the principals at the firm is a member of the board, would this not be a conflict of interest?”

“What is the amount of money paid out to date to Palmer and Walters and over what period of time?”

“Was there a tender for legal services to the Universal Access Fund and, if so, when?”

“Who was the chairman of the board when the firm, Palmer and Walters, was retained?”

“Was a request made for the correction, modification, amendment or detailing of invoices by Minnette Palmer for sums paid to the law firm, Palmer and Walters, by the Universal Access Fund?”

“What other services do Minnette Palmer and/or the firm, Palmer and Walters, provide to this ministry or any other ministry?”