THE investigation into alleged discrepancies in expenditure on the $4-million Cuban light bulb distribution project is now underway, energy, mining and telecommunications minister, Clive Mullings, told the Observer yesterday.

Mullings, who brought the issue to light during a sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, said the authorities were putting together background information on a Rodney Chin, who is alleged to be the "sole shareholder and director" of Caribbean Communications and Media Network Limited and Universal Management and Development Company Limited - the two entities, which are now at the centre of the controversy surrounding the project.

Yesterday he told the Observer that "due diligence" was being done to ascertain who the individual was.

Making the disclosure on Tuesday, Mullings said expenditure could amount to nearly $280 million for the distribution of the free bulbs, which involved Cuban and Jamaican personnel.

The minister said he was uncomfortable with the fact that the two companies involved, and to which several million dollars was paid to distribute the free bulbs, were allegedly not registered as contractors nor suppliers with the National Contracts Commission, and were only incorporated around the time the islandwide distribution of the bulbs began last year.

Mullings also disclosed that the previous government, through the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica, had already paid out $114.7 million for the distribution of the bulbs. Of this amount, $85 million was paid out to Universal Management and Development Company Limited and $3 million to Caribbean Communications and Media Network Limited.

Auditor General Adrian Strachan, Contractor General Greg Christie and Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne have been asked to investigate the matter further.

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