Johnson Smith denies being UK proxy candidate

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith has rejected suggestions that she is a proxy candidate for the United Kingdom in her bid to replace Baroness Patricia Scotland as the secretary general of the Commonwealth.

In an interview with the BBC, Johnson Smith said that she was “offended” by the suggestion, noting that it “bore no relevance to reality”.

Jamaica announced Johnson Smith’s candidature for the post in April, stunning its CARICOM neighbours, after the bloc had reportedly agreed to support Scotland in her bid for a second term. The decision to back the scandal-scarred Scotland was not unanimous, however.

The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu has also put forward a candidate, former Governor General Sir Iakoba Taeia Italeli.

The heads of government of the 54 Commonwealth nations are set to decide on the new leader next week.

Public support

Johnson Smith has received public support from a number of Commonwealth leaders, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the outgoing Commonwealth chairman.

Britain was among the countries to withdraw funding support for the Commonwealth Secretariat in the wake of allegations that procurement guidelines were circumvented in the awarding of a contract to one of Scotland’s associates. Scotland has denied wrongdoing.

Scotland’s supporters have alleged that the United Kingdom has been working behind the scenes to shore up support for Johnson Smith and get Scotland out of the post.

Asked by the BBC if she was a proxy candidate for the UK, Johnson Smith said, “ ... I have denied it before, and I’m a little offended not only personally, but nationally. “If you look at our history, and you look at my practice of the role of minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade of Jamaica over the past six years, the argument doesn’t lend itself to any credibility whatsoever. So it’s actually surprising to me that people repeat it unthinkingly.”

India, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Singapore, the Maldives and Grenada have also publicly lined up in support of Johnson Smiths bid.