PNP Dismisses Report into IC Probe of PM’s Finances as ‘Fabrication’

People’s National Party, PNP, general secretary, Dr. Dayton Campbell, is attempting to throw cold water on the revelation that the Integrity Commission was investigating Prime Minister Andrew Holness for less than JM $400,000.

Nationwide News reported on Monday, that in probing the prime minister’s statutory declarations for the past three years, the commission had flagged four bank accounts.

The accounts, with a combined sum of JM $384,000, belong to Holness’ parents and a former constituency office manager.

Dr. Campbell says he believes the report was fabricated.

Last Thursday, the IC sent an investigative report to Parliament believed to concern the prime minister’s statutory declarations.

The report was copied to the House Speaker, Juliet Holness; Deputy Speaker of the House, Heroy Clarke; senate president, Tom Tavares Finson and Clerk to the Houses of Parliament, Colleen Lowe.

Nationwide News understands that the report shows that the commission’s director of corruption prosecution, Keisha Prince-Kameka, rejected a recommendation from the director of investigations, Kevon Stephenson, that the prime minister be charged for failing to declare the sums in the aforementioned accounts.

Sources close to the commission say Mrs. Prince-Kameka ruled that a viable case could not be mounted.

This, as evidence to support the prime minister’s explanation of omission outweighed a suggestion by the investigators that he might have intentionally failed to declare the sums.

But Dr. Campbell maintains that if the report is to be believed, it would be an indictment against the Integrity Commission.

Meanwhile, Dr. Campbell says he finds it odd that the Integrity Commission’s report which was submitted to parliament for tabling was leaked to the media.

Dr. Dayton Campbell, general secretary of the PNP. He was speaking during Nationwide at Five on Monday.