PSOJ urges leaders to embrace good governance principles

The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) has expressed deep concern over what it says appears to be the continuing neglect of the principles of good governance.

In a press release, it outlined a number of concerns and observations, including “the escalation of the arrogant and abusive blame game practised by both major political parties as to which of them have been most corrupt, thus firmly establishing corrupt behaviour as a characteristic of political life, rather than attempting to establish preventative policies against future occurrences”.

The national organisation of private sector associations and companies also lamented “repeated attempts by spokespersons for the honourable prime minister to justify his continuing silence regarding the dismissal of a Cabinet minister by asserting an unreasonable extension of the sub judice principle and ignoring the absolute right of our citizens to knowledge as to the conduct, or misconduct, of those who are elected to serve, whether or not that conduct approaches felony”.

According to the PSOJ, the combined effect of these acts or omissions is to aggravate the trust deficit in the society.

It called on the political leaders to make their position on corruption clear.

The PSOJ is also urging the prime minister to clarify the issues surrounding his statutory declarations submitted to the Integrity Commission.