ISIS Charge: Senator Robert Montague, Opposition Spokesman on Energy, addressing a JLP Mass Rally in Gayle, St. Mary, Jamaica W. I., asked the PNP government through energy Minister Phillip Paulwell to deny or confirm if the bad gas was purchased from ISIS and if by so doing the government is supporting terrorism?

Responding to the question raised Minister Phillip Paulwell has blasted Senator Montague for his apparent reckless statement which could damage the reputation of Jamaica.

Bad Gas Report Delayed

The report on Bad Gas has been delayed for reasons no very clear. New date a few days before election date set for February 25, 2016.

Public Forum

At a public Forum held today by Nationwide News Network (NNN) January 4, 2016 an attorney Shane A. Dalling, JP from the Law Firm Bailey, Terrelongue Allen, who was present said ” Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) who has been testing the contaminated or Bad Gas has no legal authority to do so as the regulations have not been promulgated” in short they (BSJ) has no such power under law.

This may explain why one of the marketing companies Rubis has threatened legal action if their name was called for having distributed contaminated gas.

Paulwell Insults Foreign Reporter

Vision’s SIC visited the offices of Energy Minister Paulwell to get his response to the legal opinion of Dalling stated above made at Bad Gas Forum on Thursday night FEBRUARY 4, 2016.

The following day … after security was giving the undersigned a hassle to go to Paulwell’s Office … suddenly Paulwell appeared and in a loud and condescending manner advised that he had “no appointment” to see me and walked away without waiting for a reply. The Honourable Minister was insulting and abrupt. … in the full view and hearing of security et al. An aide to Minister Paulwell later apologized for his shabby conduct. Why was he so insulting and abrupt … we want an answer?

BSJ HAD NO AUTHORITY

Reports are that the Regulations were not put into law to allow for the BSJ to test for Bad Gas … so the Bureau Of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) through their chairman Professor Winston Davidson, who claimed they were testing bad gas and closing gas stations … appear to have been doing so “illegally”. In short without legal authority. Is this really so?

Stay tuned to Vision for the latest on this unfolding drama.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie, Senior International Correspondent (SIC) for Vision Newspaper Canada.