“All members of the Opposition Shadow Cabinet have signed IC Integrity Code”

The People’s National Party (PNP) acknowledges the statement issued by the  Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) regarding the signing of the Integrity Commission’s (IC) Leadership Code of Conduct for public officials.

 While we appreciate the PSOJ’s call for all members of the Government and Opposition to sign the Code of Conduct, we urge them not to create a false equivalence between the Opposition and Government in this matter. We would like to highlight that the Opposition has consistently advocated for the support and protection of the Integrity Commission (IC) and has steadfastly defended it against unjustified attacks by the Government.

For fairness and completeness, it is important to recall that the Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, was the first to sign the IC’s Leadership Code of Conduct on January 9, 2023. It is to be further recalled that the Opposition Leader sought and received the Commission’s authorisation for each member of the Shadow Cabinet to sign the Code individually. We are pleased to announce that all twenty-two (22) members of the Opposition Shadow Cabinet have signed the IC’s Leadership Code of Conduct.

To the extent that the Opposition has made public utterances regarding the IC, these have been in defence of the Commission. We urge the PSOJ to address those who have sought to discredit, dismantle, or diminish the powers of the IC.

The PSOJ plays an important role and we urge it to strive for fairness and balance in its public utterances.  Embracing “bothsidesism” or false balance does not serve the best interests of our nation, neither is it a profile in courage.

The People’s National Party remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity and will continue to advocate for the protection and strengthening of the Integrity Commission and the advancement of transparency and accountability in Jamaica.