‘Shameful’: JLP slams Golding over failure to condemn statements in leaked PNP voicenotes

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has labeled as "shameful" the People's National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding's failure to condemn statements made in leaked party voicenotes. These recordings reportedly detail strategies to undermine the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) and discredit its leader, Major General Antony Anderson.

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That the PNP President spent two minutes speaking about the issue but failed to condemn the comments made by his Executive Committee members is shameful and a disgrace.

Golding attempted to distance the PNP from the remarks on Sunday, asserting that the views were expressed by individual party members acting in their personal capacities and do not reflect the official stance of the PNP. He clarified that these individuals are not "officers" of the party.

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Golding’s comments show that he is not suited for leadership.

However, JLP Communication Chairman, Senator Abka Fitz-Henley, strongly criticized Golding's response. Fitz-Henley insisted that the recordings originated from executive members of the PNP and called Golding's statement "shameful and a disgrace." He argued that Golding's inability to condemn comments from his Executive Committee members demonstrates a lack of leadership suitability.

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He cannot deny that the group has the PNP logo as its display photo and that the vast majority of his Executive Committee, including co-opted individuals, are members of the group. His comments are therefore misleading and a disgrace.

Fitz-Henley further challenged Golding's assertion, pointing out that the statements were made within a PNP WhatsApp group explicitly named "Executive Members." He highlighted that the group uses the PNP logo as its display photo and includes a majority of the party's Executive Committee, along with co-opted members. According to Fitz-Henley, Golding's comments are therefore misleading and disgraceful. He also suggested that the discussions about delay tactics and attaching corruption to an honorable Jamaican align with the PNP's operational methods under Golding's leadership.

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It is not surprising that Mr. Golding failed to condemn the assertion of likely delay tactics made by one of his Executive Committee members and the discussion raised by another about attaching corruption to an honourable Jamaican because both statements are consistent with the modus operandi of the PNP under his leadership.