GENERAL secretary of the ruling People’s National Party Donald Buchanan says the PNP is awaiting an internal report before making a decision on the candidacy of its East Central St James caretaker Donald Colomathi, in light of the weekend arrest of his son Tayan.

The younger Colomathi, 25, was allegedly travelling in the same vehicle with reputed Stone Crusher gang leader Rohan Gordon, alias “Don”, who, along with three of his cronies, reportedly engaged the police in a gunfight Sunday. Gordon was killed during the alleged shoot-out.

Buchanan told journalists attending yesterday’s post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House that following discussions with the senior Colomathi at the PNP’s head office in Kingston, “the party is seeking to better inform itself as to what are the circumstances surrounding the incident…”

He said that the party wanted to know, for example, what are the connections between Colomathi and his son; what occurred in the incident; as well as a clear statement on “exactly what are the relationships between his son and himself and what would be, if any, the political connection between the work of comrade Colomathi in his constituency and any activity in which his son may have been involved in”.

Buchanan said that Colomathi told the party yesterday that his son had disclaimed being a part of any gang, “and indicated that he was an innocent victim of circumstance with respect to this particular incident”.

In the meantime, Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) spokesman on National Security Derrick Smith has called on the police commissioner, Lucius Thomas, to ensure that a “thorough investigation” is done into the incident.

Smith said that nothing but a thorough investigation into the circumstances in which the younger Colomathi was allegedly travelling in the same vehicle as gunmen, who engaged the police in a shoot-out, will satisfy the public’s democratic right to know how he came to be in the vehicle.

Colomathi was called to a hastily-convened meeting yesterday morning at the PNP headquarters, where he met with party officials to discuss the matter.

“The meeting was called for Comrade Colomathi to indicate to us his understanding of what occurred and what are the implications for himself and for the party,” Buchanan told the Observer yesterday.

He added: “Once we have completed looking into the whole matter we will be taking a decision”.

Donald Colomathi is seeking to wrest East Central St James from the JLP’s tourism spokesman, Ed Bartlett. Colomathi is currently councillor for the Spring Mount division of the St James Parish Council.

An unemployed resident of Herbert Morrison Crescent, Mango Walk, the younger Colomathi has been charged with illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, shooting with intent and wounding with intent. The police said he was driving the car in which the reputed Stone Crusher gang leader was travelling.