JLP questions Golding's silence on allegations of misuse of KSAMC funds

By Racquel Porter 

 

The Jamaica Labour Party says it appears People's National Party President Mark Golding has turned a blind eye to allegations of misuse of funds in the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC).

 

Mayor of Kingston and KSAMC chairman Andrew Swaby has denied that the public body authorised or facilitated cash disbursements to individuals amid a media report.

 

Mr. Swaby has also stated that municipalities do not disburse cash.

 

But as the political tit for tat continues, JLP has questioned Mr. Golding's knowledge of the allegation.

 

During a press conference on Thursday morning, Marlon Morgan, a senior member of the JLP Communication Task Force, questioned what he described as Mr. Golding's week-long silence on the matter. 

 

"The Jamaica Labour Party and indeed well-thinking Jamaicans insist that PNP President Mark Golding tells the country whether he was aware of what is being exposed as the PNP's inappropriate use of state resources to fund its election campaign activities. Mark Golding must tell us what, if anything, he has done about it to date. And he should not tell us to ask the PNP," Mr. Morgan maintained. 

 

Earlier in the press conference, Mr. Morgan reiterated the party's call for Dr. Dayton Campbell to resign from his posts as PNP General Secretary, a Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica and Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture after publication of an alleged leaked conversation between himself and ousted PNP caretaker, Lawrence Rowe.

 

Dr. Campbell has indicated that he is not a member of the KSAMC and is not involved in how funds are allocated by that body.

 

But the JLP is insisting that Dr. Campbell should be stripped of his responsibilities. 

 

"In the event that Dr. Dayton Campbell does not resign as ECJ Commissioner, Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture and Fisheries, and the PNP General Secretary, the People's National Party President Mark Golding should act in a timely and decisive manner by ensuring that Dr. Dayton Campbell, his embattled General Secretary, is separated from the three referenced posts, ASAP," the JLP spokesman demanded.   

 

But what if the JLP's calls are not answered?

 

"We should be mindful that in the political court of public opinion, the verdict is often read on the ballot. We have been proven to be the government that builds the nation that promotes integral systems of governance. And we are confident that that is the future that Jamaica needs now," said Kerensia Morrison, JLP Member of Parliament for St. Catherine North Eastern. 

 

The PNP on Thursday afternoon responded, threatening legal action against the JLP for what it describes as baseless and defamatory attacks.

 

In the meantime, the JLP said civil society bodies including National Integrity Action, Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal, Jamaicans for Justice, and the Advocates Network have remained silent on what it calls the 'PNP-KSAMC corruption scandal'.

 

Mr. Morgan said the matter has been in the public domain for almost a week with supporting screenshots of WhatsApp messages and voicenotes readily accessible.

 

But he said, to date, the JLP is not aware of any statement issued by the usually vocal civil society groups. 

 

"We want our civil society groups to be seen, yes, to manifestly appear to all stakeholders in Jamaica as being on the ball on all the issues that merit their voice and, of course, their advocacy. It should not appear to onlookers and even practitioners in media...as though they are particularly vocal where issues concerning one political party emerge and are less vocal where issues concerning another political party [is concerned]," argued Mr. Morgan.