MONTEGO BAY, St James — Chairman of the St James Parish Council Glendon Harris says that the contractor who was hired to do the decoration for the recent swearing-in of newly elected councillors has decided to refund his $30,000 fee to the local authority.

Addressing the regular monthly meeting of the council yesterday, Harris said that the contractor, Denton Edwards, has accepted full responsibility for the foul-up in the foul-up in the decoration of the historic Montego Bay Civic Centre where the ceremony was held.

“I have spoken to the decorator and he has accepted full responsibility and he has further indicated that he will repay the money which he collected, with a view to see if he can level the situation with the council,” said Harris.

The money is expected to be repaid within another few days.

At the March 29 swearing-in ceremony for the 17 elected St James councillors, the colour green was left out of the huge stage backdrop designed to depict the Jamaican flag.

The backdrop featured a huge black cloth with a gold diagonal cross in the form of the Jamaican flag. However, the colour green in the flag was missing.

Since the flag foul-up, the council has been facing mounting criticisms from the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) as well as members of the public, with many describing the omission of the green as a desecration of the national symbol.

Some have charged that the People’s National Partycontrolled council was being petty and tribalistic by omittting the green, which is the colour associated with the JLP.

But Harris argued yesterday that the matter was not a partisan one, noting that the decorator has been doing work for the council from as far back as November 2010 when the JLP had control of the council.

“Let me say that no instruction was issued by any councillor — then councillorelect — or any member of staff for any colour to be removed from the backdrop that was put up by the decorator,” Harris said in a prepared statement.

“There was a shortage of a particular colour and time ran out and (so) the decision was taken not to have that (the green) there, hence the incomplete design for the backdrop,” he explained.

Expressing regret about the matter, Harris said going forward “we will endeavour to ensure that we participate always at our optimum”.

He emphasised that his remarks were intended to be his final statement on the matter, arguing that it is “time to get on with the business of the people because there is much work to be done”.

Edwards could not be reached for a comment yesterday, but Harris told the meeting that he plans to issue a statement on the matter by the end of the week.

But Councillor Charles Sinclair Jnr (JLP, Flanker Division) in a swift response, said the mayor’s statement raises more questions than answers.

“We want to know why the gentleman (Edwards) is trying to make amends. Is it to save himself and trying to also continue doing work for the council? Is he acting under duress? What is it?” asked Sinclair Jnr, an attorney and a former mayor of Montego Bay.

“He has performed in a particular way: He omitted the green but he has performed in every other respect in putting in place things, so why should he refund the full sum and not just part of it?” Sinclair further asked.

When asked if the council plans to engage the services of Edwards at other functions organised by the local government body, secretary/manager Winston Palmer said “based on what has happened one would have to be cautious”.

Meantime, the PNP late yesterday condemned what it said was the “mishandling” of the flag.

“The PNP has always been respectful, and will continue to be, of all civic ceremonies, including civic functions organised for the swearing-in of mayors and councillors,” the party said in a statement.

“Even more so, the PNP has always jealously guarded the Jamaican flag as a symbol of dignity, achievement and the fierce independence of our people and country.

“…The party is publicly calling upon all mayors and councillors to ensure that all civic functions are organised in keeping with necessary protocols, including ridding these functions of any semblance of partisan behaviour.

“The PNP won both the national and local government elections by promising a more open, transparent and nontribal Government. We take this principled position very seriously, and will not allow it to be violated by anyone,” the party added.