Holness assures Jamaicans he’s against corruption
AINSWORTH MORRIS / Our Today
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Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has again stated that he is the politician best positioned to deal with the problem of corruption, as he was forced to defend his integrity during a political debate with PNP President Mark Golding Thursday night.
In responding to a question posed by a member of the public on social media, Dr Holness said the findings of a report into his finances by an expert forensic auditor noted that there was no corruption in his dealings.
“Every aspect of my report, every aspect of my personal life, and my personal financial details are in the public domain. I am the politician about whom Jamaicans know the most. And, therefore, I am the politician who can stand with the greatest moral authority to treat with any matter that is considered corrupt, as I have done in the past,” Holness said.
“And, I want to give this assurance to the Jamaican people that you know me, you know about me, you can trust me, and you know that I stand against corruption,” he said.
Offering a rebuttal, Golding blodly noted that what Jamaicans know about “Andrew”, is that he has 28 bank accounts, that he received several million dollars in cash deposits from anonymous donors, that his companies have transactions of over $400 million, several thousand transactions between them and the non-profit foundation, Positive Jamaica, provided resources which Holness is alleged to have used for personal investments through his’ personal company.
Golding boasted that the PNP has signed the Leadership Code of Conduct developed by the Integrity Commission.
“All of our spokespersons and myself have signed. None of your people has signed it. I am committed to ensuring that all members of the executive, when we [the PNP] form Government, will have their Integrity Commission declarations published, not just the leader of the opposition, and what should happen, but hasn’t happened in your case, because you’re not certified, Prime Minister,” Golding said.
Golding added that “we” need to step up our vigilance against corrupt behaviour, nepotism and cronyism.
“The volume of scandals under this Jamaica Labour Party Government is unprecedented, the number of ministers who had to be removed from frontline duty; many of them parked in the naughty corner in OPM, rather than being sacked. It is a disgrace to the country,” Golding said.
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