PNP says it will object if Holness assumes finance portfolio

By Clinton McGregor    

 

The People's National Party says it will register strong opposition if the portfolio of the Ministry of Finance is assigned to the Office of the Prime Minister.

 

Pressure is mounting for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to name a replacement for Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke, with just a few days to go before Dr. Nigel Clarke demits office.

 

Dr. Clarke is set to assume the post of Deputy Managing Director at the International Monetary Fund, come Thursday, succeeding Antoinette Sayeh, who stepped down on September 12.

 

Speaking at a party meeting in North West St. Ann on Sunday night, Opposition Leader and PNP President Mark Golding warned that there will be a major uproar if Mr. Holness assumes the portfolio responsibility.

 

He argued that the ongoing investigation into the financial affairs of the Prime Minister would disqualify him from providing direct oversight of the Finance Ministry. 

 

"The investigation has reached a point where he has not provided all information the Integrity Commission needs, and they have said they are referring it to the Financial Investigations Division and Tax Administration Jamaica, two agencies that fall in the Ministry of Finance. 

 

"Today is three days before the Minister of Finance is to leave office.... All now we don't know who is going to be the new Minister of Finance. But it can't be Andrew Holness, because he can't be the minister of a ministry that has agencies that are investigating him. That would be a clear conflict of interest and totally untenable. And we want to hear this long over overdue and important information because obviously finance is a critical ministry," he demanded. 

 

Mr. Golding told his supporters that the parliamentary opposition will continue to campaign on the ground despite its positive showing in the most recent public opinion polls. 

 

"Jamaica has reached a turning point and they want real change. Time come for change. And I know it's going to happen because we see the trend over the last year and a half where more and more people start recognise that our party has their best interests at heart, that our party can lead the country in the right direction, that our party has leaders with integrity, leaders who believe that the resources of the people must be used exclusively and only for the benefit of the people. And that is why our stocks are rising while the other side is going down," he asserted. 

 

Mr. Golding said the data shows that young voters are shifting towards the PNP and away from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).