Young Jamaica, the youth arm of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has taken a strong exception to recent claims made by People’s National Party President Mark Golding, accusing him of appropriating JLP policies as his own.

The political organisation has sought to remind Jamaica of the facts surrounding the origin of certain government initiatives.

According to Young Jamaica, Minister of Finance Dr Nigel Clarke, in January 2021, openly discussed the government’s consideration to eliminate customs duty on items valued up to US$100. This proposal, which it said was initiated and articulated by the JLP-led administration, formed part of a comprehensive strategy to ease financial burdens for Jamaican citizens.

However, JLP youth arm contended that it’s disconcerting that Golding’s remarks, seemingly embracing this concept, only surfaced a year and two months later in March 2022. This delayed endorsement of the threshold proposal, Young Jamaica argued, raises questions about the origin and authenticity of PNP’s ideas.

Young Jamaica emphasised that this incident highlights a disconcerting trend within the PNP, which is indicative a dearth of innovative policies. The resort to claiming initiatives championed by the JLP-led administration only reinforces the notion that the PNP is currently devoid of original ideas to uplift and progress Jamaica, Young Jamaica argued further.

“It’s disappointing to witness the PNP attempting to lay claim to initiatives that were conceptualised and articulated by the JLP,” said Rohan Walsh, president of Young Jamaica.

“This not only showcases a lack of creativity but also reflects an attempt to mislead the public about the true origins of these crucial policies,” he added.

Young Jamaica urged for all Jamaicans to remain vigilant and informed about the factual origins of policies and initiatives that impact the nation and thanked Clarke for what it described as a bold move that will augur well for ordinary Jamaicans.