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🇯🇲 Jamaica /Elections & Politics

Leaked Voicenotes Don't Represent PNP's Official Stance, Says Party President

From Jamaica Observer · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • People's National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding stated that leaked voicenotes discussing tactics to undermine the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) do not reflect the party's official stance.
  • Golding clarified that the individuals in the voicenotes were not party officers and were expressing personal views in a private WhatsApp group.
  • The controversy arose shortly after the appointment of Major General Antony Anderson as head of NaRRA, an agency tasked with post-disaster reconstruction.

People's National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding has asserted that leaked audio recordings, allegedly featuring party members strategizing to undermine the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA), do not represent the official position of the PNP. The voicenotes surfaced on social media shortly after the controversial appointment of Major General Antony Anderson to lead NaRRA, an agency established to manage Jamaica's post-disaster recovery and resilience efforts.

This was a WhatsApp group formed by individuals within the party and the views expressed were their personal views.

— Mark GoldingPNP President Mark Golding clarified the nature of the leaked voicenotes, stating they represented personal opinions.

In a statement delivered at the PNP's National Executive Council meeting on Sunday, Golding explained that the individuals heard in the recordings were not acting in any official capacity. "This was a WhatsApp group formed by individuals within the party and the views expressed were their personal views," Golding stated. He emphasized that these recordings do not reflect the official position or policies of the PNP, which are determined by constitutional organs and communicated by authorized representatives.

The leaked voicenotes reportedly detailed strategies aimed at discrediting NaRRA and its CEO, Major General Antony Anderson. The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has condemned the alleged recordings, describing them as "vile" and involving PNP executives. The controversy highlights internal party dynamics and the sensitive political climate surrounding the newly formed NaRRA.

So those recordings do not represent the official position of the PNP or any policy of the PNP.

— Mark GoldingGolding explicitly stated that the leaked messages do not reflect the official stance of the People's National Party.

Golding's clarification aims to distance the party leadership from the sentiments expressed in the leaked messages, reinforcing that only official pronouncements carry the weight of the PNP's stance. The situation underscores the challenges of managing internal communications and public perception, particularly concerning a critical national agency like NaRRA.

The PNP takes responsible for its official position – those that are set by our constitutional organs… and those that are communicated by our authorised representatives.

— Mark GoldingGolding outlined how the PNP officially formulates and communicates its positions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jamaica Observer in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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