The Jamaica Labour Party  (JLP) has called for the immediate resignation of Dayton Campbell as a Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), the Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture and the People’s National Party’s (PNP) General Secretary.

Marlon Morgan, a senior member of the Jamaica Labour Party’s Communication Taskforce, made the call on the Party’s behalf at a press conference at the JLP’s headquarters on Thursday, February 6.

The Jamaica Labour Party has revved up their calls as the PNP and the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) issue deepens.

Leaked voice notes and texts purporting to be of conversations between discarded PNP Caretaker for Central Kingston Lawrence Rowe and Dr Campbell discussing party businesses in December 2024 have been making the rounds.

Rowe had reportedly enquired about why other PNP political representatives got more money from the KSAMC compared to money which was given to him.

Morgan noted that in a leaked voice note, Dr Campbell may be heard saying: “I can tell you why that happened. It’s because they put more money in the two Divisions that we’re going to have by-elections in. Suh yuh going to have a by-election in Chancery, an’ yuh gwain have a by-election in Denham Town. Suh they put some more money in the two Divisions that are going to have the by-elections”.

According to Morgan, Dr Campbell’s response is inappropriate, repugnant and unacceptable. Meanwhile, the Jamaica Labour Party also called for PNP President Mark Golding to take action against Dr Campbell, if Campbell refuses to resign.

There was also a call for Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby to declare whether Dr Campbell was speaking the truth concerning the KSAMC’s partisan distribution of money to PNP operatives, including caretakers. 

The Jamaica Labour Party also dismissed as inadequate a previous statement issued by Mayor Swaby on the issue and declared that if Mayor Swaby cannot provide sufficient clarity on the matter within 24 hours he should resign as Mayor and KSAMC Chairman. 

During the media conference, the Jamaica Labour Party also called for an urgent probe by the Auditor General into all Corporations controlled by the PNP given an emerging trend of questionable expenditure at corporations controlled by the opposition party.

Morgan said that the Jamaica Labour Party trusts that Jamaica’s usually vocal civil society groups will find their voice and address the PNP/KSAMC Corruption Scandal which came to public attention a week ago and that the groups will reassure the public about their commitment to promoting accountability in the use of public funds.