MONTEGO BAY, St James — The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has warned Prime Minister Bruce Golding against utilising state resources in explaining to the public the Manatt, Phelps and Phillips matter.

Daryl Vaz, the minister responsible for information, told journalists at a post-Cabinet press briefing that Prime Minister Bruce Golding would be having meetings across the island to explain the Government’s position on the Manatt issue.

Vaz added that the islandwide meetings will be convened with non-governmental organisations, the business community and civic society.

But addressing a PNP’s North West St James constituency conference at the Montego Bay High School on Saturday night, PNP President Portia Simpson Miller made it clear that her party was against the use of taxpayers money to fund such meetings.

“Bruce (Golding) I hear that you are going across the country to explain the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips matter… but don’t use taxpayers money to go around the country for what you claim is a party matter. Taxpayers money must not be used to pick up the cost of your travelling,” the Opposition leader said.

The Government has maintained that the US-based law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips was contracted by the Jamaica Labour Party, and that the firm had no dealings with the Government to negotiate extradition matters with the United States.

The PNP as well as Manatt, however, are contending that the law firm was working for the Government.

At Saturday’s conference the PNP leader told scores of cheering party supporters that recent media revelations regarding e-mail correspondence between Government officials, members of the JLP and the US legal firm over an extended period have confirmed that the firm was working for the Government.

“If Manatt, Phelps & Phillips was working for the JLP and not the Government, how come the Solicitor General (Douglas Leys) would be involved in taking instructions from Mr (Harold) Brady?” Simpson Miller asked.

The Government had said the local law firm Brady and Company Limited was acting on behalf of the JLP in the dealings with the US legal firm.

Simpson Miller also used the well-attended meeting to renew the party’s call for the prime minister to come clean on the matter.

“I call upon you Bruce to come clean, tell us the truth; it is not too late because the matter is not going to die as long as we continue to get the truth from overseas,” she said.

She also told the comrades that the PNP, too, would be going across the island to explain the controversial matter.

“Prime minister as you go around the country, you might meet upon me and my team because we will be going around the country as well to explain the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips [issue],” she said.