By Al Edwards

Renowned criminal lawyer and People’s National Party (PNP) veteran K.D. Knight weighed in on the Prime Minister’s Integrity Commission Report imbroglio at a press conference on Thursday, September 17.

He called for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to remove himself from the office he now holds so that the appropriate investigative body can go deeply into the allegations so that the public can be satisfied that there is no interference at the highest level.

The 171-page Integrity Commission Report has lit a firestorm with people asking how come the Prime Minister is so wealthy despite a career as a public servant?

The Prime Minister did answer that question in parliament this week, saying he is a hard worker and made prudent investments. He also suggested that political opponents are making capital out of this, painting him as a scoundrel who willfully engaged in illicit enrichment.

While the spotlight is firmly on the Prime Minister, there are supposed to be seven other parliamentarians who were found to have engaged in illicit enrichment. There has been no word on those found or deemed recalcitrant.

“My mind, as a lawyer practicing at the criminal bar, saw that there were elements of conspiracy in this, and while I will not identify the potential conspirators, I will say this calls for a detailed investigation. What jumps out at me is the way the investigation was conducted.”

Controversy surrounds three businesses connected to the Prime Minister and the movement of millions of dollars in their respective bank accounts.

K.D. Knight continued: “What jumped out at me also is, why would one need to have 28 accounts? One would need to have 28 accounts if one was involved in business. You can’t run a country and run a private business at the same time. It is one or the other.

“It is clear one of the reasons why the country is in the condition it is now is that sufficient time is not spent by the Chief Executive Officer (in this case the Prime Minister) on running the country.”

President of the Senate, Tom Tavares-Finson, said Parliament has no authority to refer the Integrity Commission Report to government agencies such as the Financial Investigation Division (FID).

The Prime Minister himself has said the way the Integrity Commission goes about its business needs to be investigated and changes made.

Some say it would be wise for the Prime Minister to allow the investigative process to take place, get exonerated, and then give his views, mindful that as Prime Minister he is subject to greater probity. 

He has to remove that accusatory finger of illicit enrichment pointed at him. 

“It jumped out at me also that, if it is that a Prime Minister is being investigated, how can he be the chief accountable officer for discipline and law and order in the country? He cannot occupy the post and find himself in this position and do what he was elected to do, efficiently. He cannot, and therefore a call for his resignation is justified because of what this report contains,” declared Knight.

A member of the government speaking under condition of anonymity to Our Today said: “The Prime Minister has never engaged in illicit enrichment and will not be standing down. That will never happen. He is the best-performing Prime Minister Jamaica has ever had, and the country has progressed under his leadership. Is Jamaica better now than it was ten years ago? Absolutely, just look around. The Prime Minister is not some rapacious businessman looking to profit from all given situations. He has emphasised prudent estate management, and that is what he has done. He has complied with the Integrity Commission. He has nothing to hide. Jamaica cannot return to socialism; we need prosperity and comfort.” 

K.D. Knight doubled down, arguing that if the Prime Minister was in the private sector with such a report hanging over him, then he would have been sent on leave pending a complete investigation.

“I do not for one minute suggest guilt, but what I suggest is a process should be allowed to take place and those who are found culpable be held accountable,” said the former PNP Government Minister.