Gareth Manning, Gleaner Writer

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is raising questions about the Government's reluctance to collect $25 million dollars owed to the Universal Access Fund by a prominent player in the NetServ scandal.

Speaking yesterday during the party's 63rd annual conference held inside the National Arena, Opposition Spokesman on Finance Audley Shaw brought into question the morality of the Government because of what he suggested was a slow move to collect the funds from the company, which he did not name.

"All the big players have been handing over the money but one person close to the scandal is not handing over the money. Those principals were involved with the scandal called NetServ," Mr. Shaw chided.

The Universal Access Fund Limited is a Government entity which collects a levy on incoming international calls to Jamaica. The revenue earned from the charges, which is projected at $1 billion, will go towards financing the implementation of the national e-learning project, which is designed to enhance the education process through the use of information technology.

Churchman

The fund is chaired by the only churchman appointed to a public board so far by the Prime Minister, Dr. Herbert Thompson, who is also president of the Northern Caribbean University. However, the fund comes under the direct control of Phillip Paulwell, the Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce.

A censure motion was first brought against the minister in 2001, for the NetServ scandal which led to the loss of $200 million. Another was brought against him this year for his role in the construction fiasco which led to the release of 500 tonnes of faulty cement on to the local market and the subsequent collapse of the industry which resulted in the temporary loss of employment of 30,000 workers and a temporary halt of some major projects.

Unsuccessful efforts were made to contact Mr. Paulwell.

Mr. Shaw also raised questions during his presentation about whether another embattled minister, the former Information and Development Minister, Colin Campbell, was still employed in the Office of the Prime Minister, though he had resigned from the portfolio just over one month ago.

Again, efforts to get a response from inside the People's National Party and from Mr. Campbell were unsuccessful.