PNP Responds to Misleading Reporting by the Jamaica Observer

Kingston, Jamaica. September 10, 2024: The People’s National Party (PNP) wishes to address recent reports published by the Jamaica Observer, which has issued an article today without attribution, filled with speculation, innuendo, and unfounded allegations. This article claims to report on an investigation involving eight “politicians” from the JLP and PNP.

The Observer article states that “In almost all of the cases the allegations have been made to the IC by people who claim to have information surrounding acts of corruption/illicit enrichment, but there is no documentation to support these allegations”.

In other words, malicious stories may have been concocted and sent to the Integrity Commission for partisan political reasons, without any foundation whatsoever.

We want to make it unequivocally clear to the public that this reporting by the Jamaica Observer is entirely separate from the eight sitting Members of Parliament cited by the Integrity Commission for illicit enrichment. The allegations reported by the Observer are not part of the ongoing investigation by the Integrity Commission into the eight sitting MPs accused of illicit enrichment.

This is a blatant attempt by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and its media allies to confuse and mislead the public, thereby creating unnecessary confusion.

Let us be clear: the Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, has directly consulted with all sitting representatives of the People’s National Party in both the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament. Following these discussions, every PNP parliamentarian and senator has confirmed that they are not aware of being investigated by the Integrity Commission for illicit enrichment.

Nonetheless, the People’s National Party firmly maintains its position that any parliamentarian, whether from the PNP or the Jamaica Labour Party, who is implicated and found guilty of illicit enrichment or unexplained wealth should face the full force of the law. Such individuals should be dismissed from public office and barred from ever holding public office again. The PNP stands resolute in its commitment to transparency, accountability, and good governance.

The public must remain vigilant and recognize this report for what it is; a deliberate distraction from the Integrity Commission’s investigation into the eight sitting MPs identified for illicit enrichment. Any suggestions made by the Observer should not be conflated with the ongoing investigations by the Integrity Commission.

This is a serious moment in Jamaica’s political history, and we urge all Jamaicans to rely on credible, verified information rather than allowing partisan media outlets to distort the truth.