Parliamentary Secretary Senator Robert Morgan - file photo
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Robert Morgan
Parliamentary Secretary Senator Robert Morgan has said he is puzzled as to what more Prime Minister Andrew Holness can say to the public regarding former Education Minister Ruel Reid's dismissal without impugning Mr. Reid's character without evidence.
Senator Morgan said it is not the Prime Minister's role to ascribe guilt.
On Tuesday, Jeanette Calder, Executive Director of the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal, suggested that the lack of information about the reason for Mr. Reid being dismissed was an attempt to protect him and others from possible repercussions stemming from scandals involving the Education Ministry and some of its agencies.
Mr. Morgan described the comment as baseless.
Speaking Wednesday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106, Mr. Morgan stated that it was based on serious allegations about Mr. Reid's stewardship of entities under his management that the Prime Minister accepted his resignation.
"We do not have evidence of guilt or innocence. We do not have evidence and did not have evidence of specific issues at the time. What we do know is that there were serious questions raised as it relates to his oversight of these entities and that investigations had commenced by the constituted authority and it was on that basis, as was said at the time, that the gentleman offered his resignation," he outlined.
Mr. Morgan said it would be difficult for the Prime Minister to speak on the matter, adding sarcastically: "Unless you wanted the Prime Minister to come out into the public and say he spoke to the police and they gave him a file that outlines what are the alleged infractions."
Mr. Morgan said care is being taken not to destroy reputations without evidence.
He cited cases which were investigated by the Office of the Contractor General and the subsequent public statements which did not lead to charges or convictions.
Mr. Morgan is appealing for the public to allow investigative bodies, such as the Integrity Commission and the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), to do their work.
"The same persons who are now alleging that there is a cover-up and they want a public ventilation of the matter, are the same persons who, if there is a public ventilation that undermines the ability of the police to file charges against whomever... are going to say, well, they did not do their job properly. They probably should not have said anything," he contended.
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