Opposition Condemns Culture of Suppression, Demands Truth and Accountability Over Dunn’s River Water Report

Kingston, Jamaica. May 12, 2025: The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is raising the alarm about the increasingly repressive and anti-democratic posture of the Holness administration, as seen once again in the fallout from a public health report on unsafe water quality at Dunn’s River Falls and nearby recreational waters.

Within days of International Press Freedom Day, Jamaica is witnessing yet another attack on transparency, media freedom, and professional integrity. The attempt to discredit public health officials and chastise journalists for sharing factual, publicly presented data reflects a deepening crisis of governance.

“This is not simply about bacteria levels in a river, this is about a government more committed to managing optics than protecting lives,” said Nekeisha Burchell, Opposition Spokesperson on Information and Public Communication. “We are seeing a dangerous trend where public servants are pressured, journalists are targeted, and truth-tellers are vilified, all because they dare to fulfill their duty.”

The latest example stems from a report presented by Chief Public Health Inspector Leroy Scott to the St. Ann Municipal Corporation, which revealed that Dunn’s River Beach, White River, and the mouth of Dunn’s River have failed to meet recreational water quality standards due to elevated total and fecal coliform levels.

Rather than prompt urgent corrective action, this revelation was met with pushback. The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) issued a vague, defensive statement attributing the contamination to natural causes like plant decay and animal matter, while dismissing concerns about human waste. The UDC’s explanation, rather than reassuring the public, has only muddied the waters, both literally and figuratively.

“The UDC’s response is not clarification, it is confusion dressed as spin,” Burchell said. “And when paired with efforts to silence or discredit those who bring these findings forward, it becomes part of a far more sinister pattern, one where control of the narrative takes precedence over public safety and truth.”

The Opposition emphasized that this is not the first time in recent months that a public servant has faced political retaliation for disclosing critical public health information. Councillor Jesse James Clarke, who raised concerns about water quality in Kingston, was subjected to coordinated attacks from members of the government.

“We are inching toward a system where state actors feel emboldened to punish integrity and reward silence,” Burchell warned. “This kind of political culture does not belong in a democracy. It belongs in the playbook of authoritarian regimes.”

The PNP also warned that Jamaica’s international image and tourism industry could suffer devastating and long-term damage if it becomes known that the government knowingly failed to act on credible public health warnings.

“Jamaica faces far greater reputational harm if it becomes known that we knowingly exposed locals and tourists to health risks and then tried to cover it up,” said Burchell. “That kind of deception does irreparable damage to a country’s credibility. Those enabling this farce are not protecting Brand Jamaica, they are undermining it at its core.”

The Opposition is calling on the Government to:

1. Publicly release all water quality data from Dunn’s River and surrounding areas

2. Protect public servants and journalists who act in the public interest

3. Launch an independent investigation into the cause of the contamination and how the matter was handled

4. Immediately issue public health guidance to Jamaicans and visitors based on the findings

“Let us not forget that patriotism is not silence. It is standing up for truth, health, and justice,” Burchell concluded. “We are either building a democracy or we are sleepwalking into dictatorship. Jamaica must choose.”