Ex-government official on trial over phone bid claim

A FORMER government official has been charged with attempting to sway a bid for Antigua’s mobile phone company in favour of a consortium led by Irish businessman Denis O’Brien.

Dean Jonas, who was a senior public relations official in the Antiguan government until late last year, was charged by police with three counts of conspiracy.

It was alleged he had attempted to persuade members of the Antiguan government tender board to favour a bid by Digicel, a mobile phone company owned by Mr O’Brien and other Irish investors. There are no allegations of impropriety against any other individual. Antiguan company PCS was put up for sale by the island’s government last year. A number of bidders were interested in the company apart from Digicel.