Young Jamaica demands Golding explain status of 2024 statutory declaration

Young Jamaica, the youth wing of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has publicly called on Opposition Leader Mark Golding to clarify the status of his 2024 Statutory Declaration. The organization noted that the declaration has yet to be certified by the Integrity Commission.

Golding, who also leads the People's National Party (PNP), had previously attributed the delay in certification to alleged "staffing issues" at the Integrity Commission during a media briefing in April. Young Jamaica, however, considers this explanation inadequate to account for the prolonged delay, particularly given the commission's legal mandate.

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We consider that explanation insufficient to account for the delay in the certification process.

The group further questioned Golding's explanation for what they described as a two-year delay in the certification process. They pointed out that the Integrity Commission is legally required to publish notices confirming the certification of statutory declarations submitted by both the prime minister and the opposition leader.

Young Jamaica highlighted that Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has publicly challenged aspects of the Integrity Commission's handling of his own statutory declarations through the courts, a matter currently before the judiciary. They noted that Golding has not cited similar legal proceedings to explain the outstanding certification of his declarations. Consequently, Young Jamaica urged Golding to provide a comprehensive account of the circumstances surrounding the matter to ensure transparency and public accountability.

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We are therefore urging Golding to provide a full account of the circumstances surrounding the matter and address concerns that have arisen in the interest of transparency and public accountability.