Member of Parliament for Eastern St Thomas, Yvonne Shaw, has strongly refuted allegations raised by Prime Minister Andrew Holness during the Opening of Parliament and Swearing-In Ceremony on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

In his address, Holness suggested that Shaw was involved in political intimidation linked to the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project.

Responding to the comments, MP Shaw declared that the accusations were unfounded.
“At no point did I, or anyone on my team, engage in intimidation of any kind. My sole focus has been to ensure that the people of Eastern St Thomas benefit fairly from opportunities arising from this important project. The attempt to politicise a routine process is both regrettable and distracting from the work at hand,” she said.

Shaw noted that following the recent general election, she met with the project’s contractors, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), to oversee the orderly transition of the Liaison Officer. She explained that the step was in keeping with established practice after past elections, when there was a change in parliamentary representation.

CHEC has reportedly documented that the transition was handled properly and that Shaw’s engagement was consistent with fairness and continuity. The company further urged cooperation from both political parties to prevent delays and safeguard the timely completion of the multi-billion-dollar highway project.

Reaffirming her commitment to the development of her constituency, Shaw called on all stakeholders to prioritise nation-building over partisan division.

A letter from CHEC confirming the transition process was shared by the MP as supporting evidence.