In Kingston, Jamaica, Opposition Leader Mark Golding has reiterated his party’s demand for the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Andrew Holness. Golding asserts that the Prime Minister has forfeited the trust and confidence of the Jamaican populace following the release of the Integrity Commission report regarding his financial matters.
During a press conference held by the People’s National Party (PNP) on Thursday morning, Golding maintained his position, as expressed in a prior interview right after the report was disclosed on Tuesday. He posited that Holness had misled the nation by earlier asserting he was unaware of any Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) parliamentarians being subjected to investigations for illicit enrichment.
“Mr. Holness is among the individuals now identified as the ‘illicit six,’ now expanded to ‘illicit eight,’ and he has been aware of this for over a year. Yet, he misled the public by concealing the truth about this investigation, in statements made both in and outside of Parliament during that time,” Golding stated.
“This persistent withholding of the truth and the fundamentally dishonest deception of the Jamaican people obliterates any remaining trust and confidence in the Prime Minister,” he added.
Golding further referenced the Prime Minister’s statutory declarations from 2021 onwards, which have not been certified by the Integrity Commission.
“This poses a serious blemish on the nation’s reputation, both domestically and internationally. It is untenable for our Prime Minister to lack standing with the Integrity Commission,” Golding remarked.
“We can’t continue in this manner. The Prime Minister must either resign at once or call for fresh elections, allowing the citizens the opportunity to choose a new government capable of extricating our country from this predicament,” he concluded.