Warren walks but ... Parliamentary committee wants her to clarify issues at NESol
Published:Thursday | July 26, 2018 | 12:00 AMEdmond Campbell/ Senior Staff Reporter
While the board of directors of National Energy Solutions Limited (NESol) begins its search for a new managing director in the wake of the resignation of Carolyn Warren on Wednesday, Opposition lawmaker Phillip Paulwell wants the former public servant to assist a parliamentary committee to clarify issues at the entity under her stewardship.
"I really believe that she ought to make herself available, and she will be treated with the utmost respect," Paulwell told The Gleaner. "She needs to return to the PAAC (Public Administration and Appropriations Committee) meeting [that] I am going to be urging the chairman to call during the summer recess because there are some major issues coming out of NESol that require her urgent attention," said Paulwell, the opposition spokesman on energy.
SHE'S NOT THE FOCUS
"My focus is not on her, but her assistance in enabling the committee to get to the bottom of major issues that have arisen at NESol."
Paulwell maintained that regarding Warren's past, he believed that people were entitled to be rehabilitated, stressing that it was not about her, but ensuring that the agency she was in charge of was operating above board. Warren told RJR yesterday that if called, she would be willing to assist the PAAC.
After disclosing her drug conviction, which occurred in the 1990s, Paulwell later apologised to Warren, following a flood of public criticism.
... Devastating impact on family
Early Thursday morning, Warren told The Gleaner that she had resigned from the entity, indicating that the issue about her drug conviction, which she had put behind her 25 years ago, has had a devastating impact on her family.
She decried a Gleaner article, headlined 'McBean defends decision to shut out Warren at Spectrum agency', as a non-story. Warren expressed the view that the article targeted her and it was causing deep hurt to family and friends.
In the story, former managing director of Spectrum Management Authority, Dr David McBean, refused attempts by chairman of the entity Trevor Forrest to belatedly insert Warren on a shortlist of persons to be interviewed for the position of manager - administration.
Yesterday, Warren issued a statement to the media formally announcing her departure from NESol.
"I have taken note of recent vicious attacks on my family and me, even subsequent to my admission of my mistake over two decades ago and evidence of demonstrable efforts I have made to turn my life around and contribute positively to my country," she said.
According to Warren, "The sustained, and in many cases, spurious attacks, via both social and electronic media, have taken a tremendous toll on my family and me. Many claims made are untrue. However, this issue has now cast a cloud around the good work that has been taking place at National Energy Solutions, NESol".
She noted that to avoid prolonging "this unfortunate and deeply painful situation, on July 25, 2018, I submitted my resignation as managing director at NESol".
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who is the minister with responsibility for energy, has been advised of the developments, according to Press Secretary Naomi Francis.