Mullings

Opposition Spokesman on Energy and Telecommunications, Clive Mullings, is pressing for the resignation of the minister with responsibility for Technology, Phillip Paulwell, in the wake of what he described as an incestuous relationship in the granting of a telecoms licence to Solutrea Jamaica Ltd., and the subsequent failure by the company to pay over sums for the licence.

Notwithstanding a press release issued by Minister Paulwell on Thursday stating that the Ministry has "stayed" the licence of Solutrea Jamaica Limited until payments and other conditions are satisfied, Mr. Mullings said the licence should have been declared null and void.

"So when you say you are going to suspend, you can't suspend something that in the first place has not come into being. When the minister speaks of suspending a licence it would seem to us that he is seeking the opportunity to revive it," Mullings told journalists yesterday at a press conference at the Jamaica Labour Party's Belmont Road headquarters.

Mr. Mullings said that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has not escaped culpability in the whole affair, as she has failed to take any action in the matter.

"It is an indictment on the entire Government and the failure of the leader of that particular Government to say anything, to do anything, is suggesting that the telecom sector is falling into confusion," he said.

Questions raised

The Opposition Spokesman also raised questions on the granting of the licence to Solutrea.

"If Solutrea did not pay over the money, who did the due diligence that would indicate whether money was paid over or not?

"Why wasn't the minister aware that the sums were not paid over, and if he was aware, why did he grant the licence?"

However, Mr. Mullings argued that the minister's decision to award a licence to Solutrea without the company making a payment rendered the transaction invalid.