JAMAICA | PNP Backs Bunting's Response to FLA's Integrity Commission Report

Kingston, Jamaica, March 12, 2022: The Peoples National Party has expressed support for former minister of national security Senator Peter Bunting  in relation to  his response to the Integrity Commission’s Special Report of Investigation into Allegations Concerning Acts of Impropriety, Irregularity and Corruption in the Issuance of Firearm User Licences to Persons of ‘Questionable Character.’

Bunting indicated that he has instructed his "attorneys to examine the reports, and if they conclude that the coverage is defamatory, to bring legal proceedings against those media houses unless they fully retract their defamatory statements and issue a public apology.

He has also instructed that his attorneys  interrogate the Report itself, with a view to taking legal action if necessary.

The PNP release noted that Bunting "released a detailed statement outlining the facts of the two cases. The details reinforced that the decisions were made in the proper exercise of his ministerial authority, considering the facts before him, and the recommendations of the review panel."

"Given the outcome of the investigations by the Integrity Commission, and the additional details provided by Mr. Bunting, there is no question of the two decisions being in any manner tainted by corruption or improper motive. There is nothing that has come to light that suggests that the decisions were flawed or improper, and we are guided by due process."

In his media statement, the former minister pointed out that “in their coverage they have mentioned two appeals that happened during my term of office. This was two out of hundreds of cases that I would have reviewed during the four years I was the Minister of National Security.

He said “One case involved a person who had been charged ten years earlier with cocaine-related offences while they were a student in Florida, and whose record was subsequently expunged. 

“It is important to note that when a criminal record is expunged, the law requires that that person must be treated as if the crime had not occurred. There are very few exceptions to that rule, and none of them applied in this case.

"The other case involved a person who had been accused of molesting his wife’s relative. This was told to an investigator, but a formal report was never made to the police. 

"Separately, that person also had two charges of assault from the 90s.  One assault case was dismissed by the Court, and a “No Order” was made by the Judge on the other case. In this case, therefore, the person had never been convicted of a crime.

"From my recollection, the Firearm Review Board had recommended that the licences be granted or restored, and as Minister I acted either in accordance with their recommendations, or more conservatively," Bunting Concluded.

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