The People’s National Party (PNP) has repudiated what is labelled the “totally repugnant and offensive comments” made by Juliet Holness, on Sunday (October 23), in which she suggested that only supporters of the PNP live in certain deplorable and dangerous conditions.

In a statement, the PNP said Holness’s comments not only offend PNP supporters but “the sensibilities of all Jamaicans, many of whom settled in flood-prone areas out of desperation”.

The party said it was particularly that Holness, “given her high office and her proximity to the Prime Minister [her husband Andrew Holness], would display such hateful and acrimonious statements about Jamaicans over whom her husband presides”. 

As she addressed a Jamaica Labour Party meeting on Sunday, Mrs Holness made several remarks suggesting on Comrades would be found living in certain areas. She suggested that those individuals moved to those areas under previous PNP administrations, and that it was the PNP that was responsible for them being there.

Said the PNP: “Mrs Holness is well aware that among the informal and spontaneous settlements in Jamaica, dozens are located in flood plains and on gully reservations because of need. The residents are not confined to any single party and it serves no useful purpose to label them.

“Given the current housing crisis that the country is grappling with, the comments made by Mrs Holness could not have been more disrespectful, insensitive and reprehensible. Mrs Holness’ comments were a direct attack on citizens, some of our most vulnerable, who have been forced to live in undesirable conditions due to the lack of proper housing solutions. 

“Though statements of this nature are characteristic of the JLP administration, the People’s National Party is disgusted by her blatant politicisation of an issue which continues to affect thousands of Jamaicans.”

Added PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell: “Housing is a basic human need. The lack of proper housing solutions is not a political issue; it is a Jamaican issue. Jamaicans have had to resort to living in some of the places mentioned by Mrs Holness simply because they have no other choice, not because they want to live in the path of harm’s way nor because they were put there by the PNP.”

Noting that the JLP has been at the helm of government for 11 of the last 15 years, the PNP argued that, over that time, the country has witnessed the National Housing Trust (NHT) being “mismanaged by successive JLP administrations and drained of funds that could have been used to fulfil its initial mandate”.

The party added: “Against this backdrop, we call on the member of parliament to withdraw her comments and issue an apology to the citizens of Jamaica. 

“The issue of housing has always been a priority for the PNP; It is evident in our policies on land regularisation and national housing projects. Many of those policies have been reversed by the Andrew Holness-led administration and have now resulted in further exacerbation of the issue.

“We subscribe to the view that all Jamaicans deserve to live in pride and dignity regardless of their socio-economic background and their political affiliation. At the very least, those who are unable to do so, must not be belittled and degraded by the well-off, such as Mrs Holness.”