Holness accused of invading patients' privacy
Published:Monday | November 9, 2015 | 12:00 AM
Up to late yesterday, photos of ailing patients lying in what is believed to be a public hospital remained on the Facebook page of Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Andrew Holness, even as members of the governing party fumed at what they described as a glaring invasion of privacy.
The People's National Party Youth Organisation (PNPYO) has written to Public Defender Arlene Harrison Henry, complaining about what it characterised as Holness' egregious conduct.
"A reckless, insulting and disrespectful opposition leader, with no genuine regard for the poor or vulnerable, must be censured," charged PNPYO President Andrae Blair.
Holness' attempt to expose failings in the public health system yesterday has not gone down well with de facto Information Minister Sandrea Falconer either.
"We have to treat people with dignity and decency," she asserted.
Falconer told The Gleaner that she was sickened by the spectacle.
"It was unbelievable! You don't show people in their most vulnerable state, it's so inappropriate," she said.
Earlier, Falconer, on her Facebook page, stated that Holness was "tearing down the health sector, exposing the sick and invading their privacy in a most vulgar way for cheap political mileage".
She added: "Shame on you. How can you exploit the sick in this way, Andrew Holness?"
Blair said that identifying marks indicated that the facility was the Kingston Public Hospital.
"This blatant disregard of the patients' privacy is disgusting and this attempt to mislead the public shows that the leader of the opposition is still a stranger to the truth," he argued.