Golding accuses Holness of breaching Westminster principles by failing to remove Wheatley

Opposition Leader Mark Golding has accused Prime Minister Andrew Holness of breaching fundamental principles of Westminster government. Golding alleges that Holness has failed to remove a Cabinet minister, Andrew Wheatley, despite a report from the Integrity Commission of Jamaica recommending that Wheatley face charges for alleged illicit enrichment and other corruption-related offenses.

Speaking to party supporters, Golding asserted that the long-standing convention in Westminster-style democracies requires public officials facing serious corruption allegations or prosecution recommendations to step aside during their cases. "Andrew Holness is violating that principle," Golding stated, accusing the prime minister of hypocrisy. He recalled instances where Holness, when in opposition, had firmly stated that such individuals would have to step back.

Golding suggested that Holness is reluctant to remove Wheatley because doing so could establish a precedent affecting other government officials implicated in Integrity Commission matters. The opposition leader further alleged that the prime minister himself is under scrutiny from a serious investigative report concerning irregular financial dealings. According to Golding, the Integrity Commission sought information from Holness that he was unwilling to provide, hindering the investigation's conclusion.

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Andrew Holness is violating that principle. And why is he violating that principle? He’s being a hypocrite in doing so because there are several instances in the past where he was quite categorical when he was in opposition that if the situation ever arose, he would do the right thing and the person would have to step back. But he’s not doing it. He’s trying to tough it out.

An Integrity Commission report tabled in Parliament found that Wheatley possessed assets disproportionate to his lawful earnings, estimated at approximately $164 million, and could not offer a satisfactory explanation for the discrepancy. This finding has led several churches, civil society groups, and the Opposition to call for Wheatley's resignation.

Golding characterized the governing party's tactic as attempting to "tie the matters up in court," implying a strategy to delay or obstruct justice. The situation highlights a significant political clash over accountability and corruption in Jamaica, with the opposition demanding adherence to established governance principles.

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He himself is the subject of a very serious investigative report with allegations of all kinds of irregular financial dealings, which the Integrity Commission said should be referred to the FID, the Financial Investigation Division, which investigates financial crimes because there was certain information that they were seeking from Andrew Holness and he was not willing to provide them and so they couldn’t take the matter to its conclusion. And that matter is now in abeyance. What we see is the Labourites, their tactic is to try and tie the matters up in court.