JAMAICA | Amid Damning IC Report, PNP calls for Holness' Resignation

Kingston, Jamaica, September 18, 2024 - The People's National Party (PNP) has voiced deep concern and outrage following the Integrity Commission's investigative report on Prime Minister Andrew Holness's financial dealings.

The extensive 171-page document lays bare a series of unsettling revelations that raise serious questions about the Prime Minister's integrity and qualifications for his office.

The PNP has begun a thorough review of the report, engaging legal teams and party officials to fully grasp the investigation's ramifications. 

The party has pledged to provide a detailed and comprehensive address to the nation after carefully analyzing the report's findings. However, initial observations have already led the PNP to highlight critical issues that demand immediate public attention.

Allegations of Deception

Opposition leader Mark Golding who had risen to speak on the matter in Parliament but was denied by the speaker  as Members of Parliament on the government side started to walk out of the chamber,  spoke to reporters afterwards,  and charged that Holness misled the country.

He claimed that the prime minister knew all along that he was one of the so-called “illicit 6” being probed by the IC. Golding also took note of the fact that the commission has still not signed off on the prime minister’s statutory declarations for 2021.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness mislead both the country and Parliament. On August 22, 2023, he publicly declared, "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." Yet, it has come to light that Holness had, in fact, been formally notified by the Integrity Commission on May 5, 2023, that he was under investigation for illicit enrichment. 

This contradiction casts a shadow on the Prime Minister’s credibility and suggests a deliberate attempt to conceal the truth.

Referral to the Financial Investigations Division

Adding to the gravity of the situation, the report recommends that several opaque and questionable financial transactions involving Mr. Holness and his private companies be referred to the Financial Investigations Division (FID). The FID, a law enforcement body specializing in investigating financial crimes, has been drawn into the fray. 

This referral implies that the surface of this controversy has only just been scratched. As the FID begins its probe, the potential for uncovering more damaging information looms large, threatening to deepen the crisis surrounding the Prime Minister's financial conduct.

Tax Irregularities Add Fuel to the Fire

The Integrity Commission's report does not stop at financial transactions. It also points to serious tax irregularities involving Mr. Holness's companies, recommending that these matters be brought before the Commissioner General of Tax Administration Jamaica. 

The suggestion that the Prime Minister's financial dealings may include tax-related discrepancies further compounds the precariousness of his position. These findings suggest not just an isolated incident but a pattern of financial behavior that raises significant ethical and legal concerns.

Uncertified Statutory Declarations

Perhaps most strikingly, the Prime Minister's statutory declarations for three consecutive years—2021, 2022, and 2023—remain uncertified by the Integrity Commission. 

The report indicates that certification of these declarations is on hold pending the outcome of ongoing financial investigations. 

This delay in certification only adds to the cloud of suspicion, casting a long shadow over Mr. Holness’s transparency and commitment to financial probity.

A Crisis of Confidence in Leadership

Jamaica now faces an unprecedented crisis of confidence in its leadership. With the Prime Minister himself under the microscope of a prolonged integrity investigation, the nation grapples with the troubling reality that its head of government is being scrutinized by the very institutions meant to uphold ethical standards. 

Despite his reassurances in Parliament, Mr. Holness appears to be more entangled in defending his own position than in leading the country. 

This ongoing battle, fought from the highest office in the land, threatens to erode public trust in the government and undermines the foundation of the nation's democratic system.

PNP's Demand for Immediate Resignation

The PNP is unequivocal in its stance: the Prime Minister must step down immediately. The Office of the Prime Minister, they argue, should serve as a paragon of integrity, not a refuge from scrutiny. 

The PNP contends that Mr. Holness’s efforts to cling to power amidst a storm of allegations only deepen the public's disillusionment and tarnish the democratic values that the office is meant to uphold. In the PNP's view, his continued presence is not only a distraction but a disservice to the Jamaican people. 

They urge Mr. Holness to prioritize the nation’s dignity and democratic principles over personal ambition by resigning from his post.

The PNP's Call for Accountability

The PNP resonates with the public’s shock and calls for accountability at the highest level. The party stresses that this is not just about political rivalry but about safeguarding the integrity of Jamaica’s democratic institutions. The Prime Minister, they assert, must act in the nation's best interest. By stepping down, he would allow for a thorough and unbiased investigation to proceed, thereby preserving the dignity and trust in Jamaica's democratic system.

As Jamaica stands at this critical juncture, the Integrity Commission’s report has become a defining test of the nation’s commitment to transparency and accountability. 

The PNP’s call for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to resign is rooted in a desire to uphold the values of integrity that the country’s leadership must embody. 

In this moment of reckoning, the Prime Minister faces a choice: to continue a rearguard action to maintain his position or to step aside for the sake of the country's democratic integrity.

We are currently reviewing the full report with our legal team and officers to ensure that we fully understand the implications of this investigation. After carefully analysing the details, we will address the Jamaican people more substantially and comprehensively.

However, based on our initial review, the following key points must be made:

1. Andrew Michael Holness has deliberately misled the country and Parliament:

On August 22, 2023, the Prime Minister stated, “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.”

Today, we know this statement was a blatant lie. Mr. Holness was written to by the Integrity Commission on May 5, 2023, informing him that he was under investigation for illicit enrichment.

Furthermore, even as his own Members of Parliament attacked the Integrity Commission, Mr. Holness addressed Parliament on June 13, 2023, failing to disclose that he was under active investigation. He deliberately withheld the truth from both Parliament and the Jamaican people.

2. Referral to the Financial Investigations Division (FID):

The recommendation that various opaque and questionable financial transactions involving Mr Holness and his private companies be referred to the Financial Investigations Division (FID) for further investigation suggests this is far from over. The FID is a law enforcement body that investigates financial crimes, and this referral could unearth even more damaging information as investigations continue.

3. Serious Tax Irregularities:

The report also points to serious tax irregularities on the part of Mr Holness’s companies and recommends that these issues be referred to the Commissioner General of Tax Administration Jamaica. This further compounds the untenable situation that faces the Prime Minister.

4. Statutory declarations for three consecutive years remain uncertified:

The Prime Minister’s statutory declarations for three consecutive years (2021, 2022, and 2023) are yet to be certified by the Integrity Commission. Certification will not occur until the financial investigations are concluded. This failure to certify the Prime Minister’s financial declarations adds another layer of doubt regarding his transparency and financial conduct.

5. Unprecedented crisis of confidence in the Prime Minister’s leadership:

Jamaica now finds itself in an unprecedented situation where its head of government is embroiled in a prolonged and unresolved integrity investigation. The state apparatus is investigating its own Prime Minister. Despite his reassurances in Parliament, Mr. Holness is clearly distracted by the fight to clear his name. This battle, being waged from the highest office in the land, is undermining our democratic system and eroding public confidence in the government.

6. The Prime Minister must leave office immediately:

The Office of the Prime Minister must be a beacon of integrity, not a place to shield oneself from scrutiny. Mr. Holness’s ongoing rearguard action to remain in power under a cloud of suspicion is unacceptable. We call on him to do the right thing and step down immediately. His continued presence in office is a disservice to the Jamaican people and our democratic system.

The PNP shares in the public’s shock and calls for accountability at the highest level. The Prime Minister must act in the best interest of the nation and leave office to preserve the dignity of Jamaica’s democracy.

The eyes of the Jamaican people, and indeed the world, are now on Mr. Holness and the decisions he will make in the days to come. The unfolding investigation, and the Prime Minister’s response to it, will not only shape his legacy but also set a precedent for how public officials are held accountable in Jamaica. 

In the end, this situation serves as a stark reminder that the true measure of leadership lies not in the holding of power but in the willingness to act in the best interest of the nation, even at great personal cost.

The PNP, echoing the public’s demand for clarity and justice, stands firm in its call for accountability. The Prime Minister must consider the broader implications of his actions, recognizing that the integrity of Jamaica's democracy rests on his shoulders. 

For the nation to move forward, this cloud of suspicion must be dispelled, and the government must restore the public's trust through unwavering adherence to the principles of transparency and accountability.

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