Political commentator Germain Barrett has welcomed the Integrity Commission’s (IC) recommendation for the removal of former Minister of Works Everald Warmington from the IC Parliament Oversight Committee and the Joint Select Committee for the review of the Integrity Commission Act.

Everaled Warmington is at the centre of a controversy arising from a viral video in which he pledged to prevent the PNP councillor-elect for the Old Harbour South Division, Kurt Waul, from accessing resources under his stewardship.

Barrett who was speaking on a radio programme on Nationwide 90FM Wednesday morning (March 6), said: “I think it is a logical and welcomed move and a call that ought to be heeded. The principle behind Everald Warmington stepping aside or being forced from his role within the Cabinet is a principle that the government and the legislature, the administration at large, the executive even must be entities that are trusted by the people at large.”

He added that the Integrity Commission Parliament Oversight Committee and the Joint Select Committee for the review of the Integrity Commission Act are entities of the parliament that need public confidence and public trust for them to function appropriately.

“He is now the embodiment of distrust by the public, he ought to be removed and removed quickly and so I fully support the Integrity Commission’s call,” Barrett said.

Meanwhile, Mikeal Jackson, executive director of the rights group Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ), says the silence from the Electoral Commission of Jamaica is alarming.

“The Electoral Commission of Jamaica they were given the ombudsman mandate, remember the act was ascented recently and therefore the silence from that body is a little bit concerning because both comments were made by Mr [Dennis] Meadows and Mr Warmington during the campaign trail and we haven’t heard anything from the Electoral Commission who is now in effect the ombudsman. Where are they to say I have heard this comment, I have acknowledged it and we started some investigation internally to see what can be done. The silence there is quite alarming,” Jackson contended.