[3] An attorney-at-law by profession, Paulwell started his political career in 1995 as a Senator and Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry Investment and Commerce under the then governing PNP administration.
Paulwell again successfully contested the Kingston East and Port Royal constituency in the October 2002 General Elections, and was named Minister of Industry, Commerce and Technology.
[7] In 2006, Paulwell successfully contested an internal PNP election, for the position of Chairman of the party's Region 3,[3] which encompasses electoral constituencies in the country's capital, Kingston and St Andrew.
Paulwell personally intervened in March 2002 by calling the OUR Director General, Winston Hay, telling him that a fourth telecommunications provider was interested in investing in Jamaica, but would only do so if the FTM rates stayed the same.
[citation needed] Paulwell approved a J$180 million loan of public funds to NetServ without matching equity[13] and after a due diligence report raised serious questions about the business conduct of the company's principal, Paul Pereira.
[14] In February 2001, just before a second payment was due, JAMPRO, the government's investment promotion agency, sent two reports to Paulwell's Ministry and the NIBJ raising concerns about the operations of NetServ and Paul Pereira.
Paulwell later admitted that it was an error not to insist that the company put up US$6 million in equity before the National Investment Bank of Jamaica granted it the original loan.