Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, a spokesperson for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has dismissed the People’s National Party’s (PNP) recent demand for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to step down as both “desperate and unwarranted.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Cuthbert-Flynn pointed out that the Integrity Commission (IC) report, which the PNP used to justify its call for Holness’s resignation, did not find the prime minister guilty of any misconduct.
“I understand the PNP’s desperation to see the back of a prime minister who has led Jamaica through significant crises with skill and integrity. Andrew Holness has been one of the most positively consequential leaders our nation has seen in recent times and has not been implicated in any unbecoming or unlawful conduct. It’s no surprise that the PNP and its affiliates, disguised as civil society groups, are pushing this baseless narrative,” Cuthbert-Flynn said.
She further criticized the PNP for what she described as a lack of merit in its claims, emphasizing that the IC report thoroughly examined Holness’s financial affairs and found no wrongdoing, particularly as it did not involve public funds.
Cuthbert-Flynn also compared the current situation to a past investigation involving prominent PNP members Peter Bunting and Mark Golding. She referenced the findings of the then-Office of the Contractor General (OCG) in a probe related to the alleged ‘Dehring, Bunting and Golding Sweetheart Deal,’ which she argued was far more serious than the current allegations against Holness.
“The OCG probe, which is well-documented in Parliament, should prompt Peter Bunting and Mark Golding to step down from their leadership roles within the opposition. Their involvement in that matter is far more concerning than anything the PNP is alleging about the prime minister. This posture by Bunting and Golding only confirms that they should never have been allowed to assume leadership positions. The PNP, once a party of principles, has now become an organisation of gimmicks and expediency,” she added.
Cuthbert-Flynn’s remarks reflect the JLP’s firm stance against what they view as politically motivated attacks, asserting that the PNP’s call for Holness to resign lacks substance and is driven by a desire to undermine his leadership.
