Jamaica:
The rise and fall of Colin Campbell
Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer
Jamaica Gleaner
Kingston
Petroleumworldtt.com
10 15 06
WHEN
Colin Campbell was named Minister of Information
and general secretary of the People's National Party
(PNP) by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller in
April, it resurrected a political career that hit
the skids one year earlier.
Yesterday's
news that Mr. Campbell, 51, had resigned as a result
of the so-called 'Trafigura Beheer scandal' seemed
to have ended that career which began over 30 years
ago when he was still a student at Calabar High
School.
His
resignation came five days after Jamaica Labour
Party (JLP) leader Bruce Golding's revelation that
Trafigura had transferred J$31 million to bank accounts
held by the PNP and Mr. Campbell.
Misuse
of funds
PNP
officials insist it was a donation by the company
to help its campaign for pending general election.
But for their opponents, it was yet another misuse
of funds by the party which is approaching its 18th
year in office.
Interestingly,
at a December 1993 Gleaner Editors' Forum, Mr. Campbell
said no administration had done more than the current
Government to reduce corruption.
Indeed,
he noted that most of the reputed scandals cited
by the JLP were simply 'honest mistakes'.
"I
am not going to say that there is no corruption
taking place; I would be crazy and stupid to say
that," Mr. Campbell told the forum. "But
I can tell you that where the allegations have been
made, the Government has been quick to make sure
that they are properly investigated."
A
journalist by profession, Mr. Campbell was assigned
to the PNP secretariat in 2005 when he and current
Foreign Affairs Minister, Anthony Hylton, contested
the Western St. Andrew seat left vacant by O.T.
Williams.
Political
setback
He
lost that election, which was seen as another setback
for his political career. He was beaten by the JLP's
St. Aubyn Bartlett in the 2002 general election
for the Eastern St. Andrew seat, a constituency
he won in 1993 when he defeated Bartlett's older
brother, Edmund.
While
still in sixth form at Calabar, Manchester-born
Colin Campbell worked in the newsroom at the Jamaica
Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) as an editor and
reporter. After two years with the National Youth
Service, he returned to the JBC, and in early 1980
was appointed Prime Minister Michael Manley's press
secretary.
For
the past 13 years, Mr. Campbell has been Parliamentary
Secretary or State Minister in various ministries,
namely Water and Transport; Public Utilities and
Transport; Local Government and Youth; Community
Development, and Commerce, Industry and Technology.
Mr.
Campbell, who is married, is also the father of
two children.
I am not going to say that there is no corruption
taking place; I would be crazy and stupid to say
that.
Jamaica
Gleaner
Monday | October 9, 2006
Copyright
©2006 Jamaica Gleaner. All Rights Reserved.
