Scott-Mottley accuses Gov’t of ruling with ‘authoritarian arrogance’
Published:Thursday | July 27, 2023 | 12:08 AMErica Virtue/Senior Gleaner Writer
The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has called for Jamaicans to wake up and take stock of the way the country is being governed, accusing the Andrew Holness administration of ruling by authoritarian arrogance.
During a press conference at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition in St Andrew, Nikeisha Burchell, communication director at the office, described Jamaica as a nation under siege “where we are seeing that sideshows, red-herrings and distractions” are being employed.
She urged Jamaicans to take a stance in the affairs of the country.
Senator Donna Scott-Mottley ripped into the administration, accusing it of bypassing customs, norms and decency.
“Yesterday, (Tuesday) I watched an assault on democracy take place in our Parliament. I ought not to have been surprised, because this government is always in a fight with the (Jamaican) Constitution. Indeed the tendency manifested itself from Andrew Holness was leader of the Opposition when he sought to utilise pre-signed, undated letters of resignation to remove two of his senators,” Scott-Mottley began.
Citing Holness, as the first prime minister to consider placing a chief justice on probation, she said it was a demonstration of his lack of understanding of the country’s parliamentary system and the critical decision to have the separation of powers embedded in parliamentary procedures and the Constitution.
Commenting on the furore around Government’s move on Tuesday to rush through a constitutional amendment increasing the age of retirement for the director of public prosecution (DPP) and the auditor general, Scott-Mottley said the powers of the DPP are vast and ‘wondered’ why the amendment came as the life of the Parliament was expiring for the Summer break.
She questioned whether there was a need by the government for the DPP to remain in office beyond September 2023.
Justice Minister Delroy Chuck, who took the amendment through Parliament on Tuesday, told The Gleaner that he had not consulted with either DPP Paula Llewellyn or Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis.
Asked if either woman had applied for an extension of their time in office, Chuck said he had no idea.
DPP Granted extension
Llewellyn had three years ago applied for an extension before turning 60 and was granted three years. She turns 63 in September and will now be able to continue serving for at least another two years with the age of retirement increased to 65. Retirement can be extended to age 70 with approval by the governor general after consultation between the prime minister and leader of the opposition.
Asked further if the amendment was done in anticipation of a request, Chuck said, “Not really. The amendment should have been done from 2017, consistent with the age of the civil service to 65 years.”
At the press conference, Opposition Leader Mark Golding said the future of the Opposition’s participation on the Constitutional Reform Committee had become uncertain.
The shadow government’s two members, Scott Mottley and Anthony Hylton, were not present for pre-arranged out-of-town consultations planned for the day, and neither are they expected to participate today.
“As you have seen, we have already taken action by deciding not to participate in the events that were scheduled for today and tomorrow. I think the whole bypassing of that process, the ramming through Parliament of an amendment to the Constitution without any form of consultation with the people, the committee or even the Opposition, has really undermined the integrity of the reform process,” Golding said.
“We will be reviewing our role on that committee but no final decision has yet been taken.”