There are questions about the truthfulness of statements provided to the Integrity Commission by former energy minister Dr. Andrew Wheatley and two others in relation to an irregular $10 million donation by Petrojam in which they pinned key actions to former councillor Owen Palmer, who is now dead.
The issue relates to Petrojam's donation to the Homestead Primary School towards the construction of two classrooms in June 2017.
The matter is outlined in the Integrity Commission's report submitted by its Director of Investigation.
Dr. Wheatley, his former assistant and Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica director, Lionel Myrie, and contractor Oswald Williams all gave statements outlining Mr. Palmer's key involvement in soliciting the donation and engaging a contractor for the project.
The donation request, signed by Mark McLean, President of the Homestead Citizens for Action Benevolent Society, was emailed to Petrojam head Floyd Grindley, by Mr. Myrie.
Mr. Myrie said he was instructed by Mr. Palmer to forward the email.
Oswald Williams, who is a director at Brighton Engineers Limited, said the company was verbally engaged by Mr. Palmer to construct the classrooms.
The Director of Investigation pointed out that Mr. Williams is Mr. Myrie's landlord.
Meanwhile, Dr. Wheatley also told the Director of Investigation that he divested all matters pertaining to donations within his constituency to Mr. Palmer and had no involvement in the donation.
However, the Director of Investigation said he questions the sincerity of the statements on the basis that Mr. Palmer is deceased and unable to corroborate the information.
Petrojam donated just over $10,024,000 to Homestead Primary, but Brighton Engineers disclosed that the total cost for the construction of the classrooms was $9.5 million.
However, the report points out that $524,531 from the donation remains unaccounted for.
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