'Hypocrisy!' JLP hits back at criticism for reselecting Dalrymple-Philibert

By Racquel Porter    

 

The Jamaica Labour Party in rejecting the People's National Party's concerns said the reinstatement of former House Speaker Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert as the JLP candidate for Trelawny Southern are another clear act of brazen and barefaced hypocrisy which has characterised the Mark Golding-led party and Dayton Campbell-led secretariat.

 

In a statement Thursday afternoon, the parliamentary opposition said the move is highly contemptuous of Jamaica's judicial system, in light of Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert's eight outstanding criminal charges for breaching the Integrity Commission Act. 

 

JLP Deputy General Secretary Charles Sinclair says concerns expressed by the PNP and civil society ought to be rejected as baseless and hypocritical.

 

Mr. Sinclair said the party is careful in its selection of candidates, in particular those who may have matters which are sub-judice.

 

He argued that the party believes in the presumption of innocence which is a fundamental pillar of Jamaica's legal system.

 

Pointed to the PNP, Mr. Sinclair cited several members who continued to serve despite having matters before the court. 

 

"The PNP has among its ranks as potential candidates Ian Hayles, who has been recommended by an anti-corruption agency for criminal investigation; Mikael Phillips, who is to be charged for breaching of the Integrity Commission Act; Dwayne Vaz, who was charged and convicted for breaching the Integrity Commission Act; Phillip Paulwell, member of Parliament, who was convicted for breaches of the Firearms Act, but were allowed to continue to serve in their respective capacities under the principle of innocent until proven guilty."

 

He argued that Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert is protected by the same principle in relation to her supposed offence which she has said was a "genuine oversight on her part".

 

Mr. Sinclair also highlighted the previous drug convictions of attorney Isat Buchanan, the PNP's standard bearer for Portland Eastern.

 

PNP General Secretary Dr. Dayton Campbell has said the decision to reinstate Mrs. Dalrymple Philibert signals a disregard for accountability, especially from the Prime Minister, who he said appears to be attempting to normalise lapses in integrity given his own compromised position.

 

Mr. Campbell said the PNP will not be contesting the November 22 by-election in Trelawny Southern. 

 

He also cited the nomination of Kim Brown Lawrence for the local government election, even as she remains charged in a serious fraud and corruption case involving the Ministry of Education and the Caribbean Maritime University.

 

Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert had omitted a Mercedes-Benz motor vehicle from her statutory declarations submitted to the Integrity Commission between 2015 and 2021.

 

She said the omission of the vehicle was a genuine oversight.

 

She is to return to court on December 6 when Parish Court judge Leighton Morris will decide whether the Integrity Commission's case against her should be thrown out or proceed to trial.

 

Political analyst Carol Narcisse has described the current political atmosphere as a game with the major parties jostling to score points. 

 

"Both sides are manoeuvering people who can get past the post and get them over the line and the majority in the House. You will be fielded because you at this moment are considered somebody popular enough, that maybe you will get them through in a particular constituency," she reasoned while speaking Thursday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.