By Vernon Daley, Staff ReporterTHE POSTAL Corporation of Jamaica (PostCorp) has launched an investigation into the circumstances in which Ronald Thwaites, attorney-at-law and former MP, was asked to collect debt on behalf the former Post and Telegraph Department.
Postmaster General Dr. Blossom O'Meally-Nelson told The Gleaner yesterday that Dr. Jean Dixon, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Technology, had requested that PostCorp initiate a probe to determine what was the role of the Post and Telegraph Department in the controversy that has enveloped Mr. Thwaites and forced his resignation yesterday.
"I'm now doing the investigation and the process has started," Dr. O'Meally-Nelson said.
Last week allegations surfaced that a senior (un-named) politician had two years ago, deposited in his law firm's account, a $5 million cheque which he had been contracted to collect on behalf of the Post and Telegraph Department.
Mr. Thwaites, appeared on radio said he was the subject of the article and insisted that the allegations were unfounded. According to him, the money was collected on behalf of the department and lodged in a clients' account, without his knowledge.
When this was discovered three to four weeks later, the money was promptly paid over to the department, Mr. Thwaites said. The money was repaid in two instalments but when asked why this was done, Mr. Thwaites said he could not recall.
He added that he had offered to pay interest on the money but that this was refused by the Department. It was, however, unclear which officer had refused Mr. Thwaites's offer of interest payments.
