PNP Calls for Holness’ Resignation Following IC Report

The People’s National Party, PNP, says Prime Minister Andrew Holness must step aside immediately, following the revelations outlined in the Integrity Commission’s investigative report into his financial affairs.

In a statement on Wednesday, the PNP says Prime Minister Holness’ continued presence in office is a disservice to the Jamaican people and the country’s democratic system.

More in this report from Mahiri Stewart.

The Parliamentary Opposition says it’s currently reviewing the 171 page report with its legal team to have a full understanding of the implications of the investigation.

The PNP says after analysing the details, the party will address the Jamaican people more substantially and comprehensively. However, the PNP says it’s deeply disturbed and appalled by the contents of the report.

According to the opposition, the report details a series of troubling findings that call into question the prime minister’s integrity and suitability for office.

The PNP further states that the Office of the Prime Minister must be a beacon of integrity, not a place to shield oneself from scrutiny.

Despite the detailed report, the PNP believes Holness’s ongoing action to remain in power under a cloud of suspicion is unacceptable. They’re calling on the prime minister to do the right thing and step down immediately.

The PNP says the prime minister must act in the best interest of the nation and leave office to preserve the dignity of Jamaica’s democracy.

The PNP has made several observations based on their initial review of the report.

They say Prime Minister Holness deliberately misled the country and Parliament in August 2023, when he said, “I have asked as far and as wide, and I haven’t got that response from everyone, but as far as I have been told no. I have not heard of anyone in my political party being written to for this matter of illicit enrichment.”

According to the PNP, that statement was a blatant lie.

The PNP says the prime minister’s failure to disclose that he was under active investigation equates to him deliberately withholding the truth.

As for the IC’s referral to the Financial Investigations Division, FID, for continued investigation, the PNP says it means the saga is far from over.

The PNP believes the referral could unearth even more damaging information.

The opposition says the matter is further compounded by the IC’s referral to the Commissioner General of Tax Administration Jamaica, into Prime Minister Holness’ taxes.

The opposition maintains that the prime minister’s statutory declarations for three consecutive years remain uncertified and will not be certified until the financial investigations are concluded.

This the party says adds another layer of doubt regarding the prime minister’s transparency and financial conduct.

The PNP describes the situation as being an unprecedented crisis of confidence in the prime minister’s leadership