Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith has refuted claims by the People’s National Party (PNP) that the government was silent during Palestine’s vote at the United Nations (UN).

She emphasised rather, that the government was preparing to attend the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) meetings.

“It was not the 80th session, it was a special session that was called at short notice for that particular issue to be taken, and although I hear it being described as a key vote on Palestine, it was a procedural vote to agree for Palestine to be able to issue their national statement virtually,” Johnson Smith clarified.

She highlighted that the government had a small team including, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Matthew Samuda, meeting with ministers and stakeholders in New York and was not able to attend the session regarding the vote for Palestine.

“We had a small team, no one was able to go there, there was never any risk to the vote, and it did have the mass approval, as had been expected,” she added, while speaking at the post-Cabinet briefing on Wednesday.

Johnson Smith suggested that individuals take a broader approach, ask questions and then exercise a little more proportionality in terms of the weight that they attach to issues. “I see that people are trying to use it to say that there’s a divide or silence or that we’re inconsistent, but honestly, as a small country, what we’re able to do, and what the team in New York is able to do, I’m so proud of them, and I could never diminish the work that they do or that they did in preparing us all… to ensure that Jamaica is impactful,” she said.

The Foreign Affairs minister also highlighted that Jamaica represented Palestine in 2024 and issued statements nationally at the heads level within CARICOM, foreign ministers level within CARICOM, CARICOM caucus level within the UN, ambassadorial level and historically through Resolution 242 to support Palestine. “I really ask sometimes when people want to discuss matters that have importance for national reputation and global reputation whether they are doing sufficient research and making sufficient inquiries about these matters.”

In referencing Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley she highlighted that their is a “crisis of truth” globally. “A lot of people have really hearkened to this concept and I invite us here in Jamaica that while we celebrate headlines that bring attention to this type of concern that we recognise that those issues need to start at home, that democracies and multilateral-ism are at threat where truth is no longer valued.