SACK THEM!

Strong calls have come from members of civil society for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to sack controversial lawmaker and senior Cabinet minister Everald Warmington for his emphatic suggestion that he would starve People’s National Party (PNP) councillor-elect for the Old Harbour South Division, Dr Kurt Waul, of state funds to carry out work in his division. At the same time, he pledged to allocate funds to the defeated candidate of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Lloyd Grant.

The spotlight has been placed on Opposition leader Mark Golding also as calls are being made for him to remove Dennis Meadows as the PNP’s caretaker for Trelawny Northern for his explosive endorsement of lottery scamming while on the campaign trail.

Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice Mickel Jackson said it was a test of leadership for both Holness and Golding to demonstrate that Jamaicans would no longer tolerate the kind of statements made by Warmington and Meadows.

Trevor Munroe, international governance consultant and founding director of National Integrity Action (NIA), said both Meadows and Warmington must face severe consequences. In the case of Meadows, Munroe said he should be punished for incitement to serious criminality and Warmington for tribal abuse of ministerial authority.

According to Munroe, the incitement by the one and abuse by the latter invite the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) to investigate each breach and to take the limited action available to that body under what he considers the entirely inadequate powers available under the existing legislation.

Yesterday, Meadows walked back his comments, apologising for statements made on the campaign trail.

“I unequivocally withdraw those remarks and want to make it clear that I condemn any form of fraud and criminal behaviour generally,” Meadows said.

While speaking on the campaign trail recently, Meadows stated: “I have no problem with a man if him want chop because they chop us during slavery.”

He added that the “only problem with chopping is when yuh bingo and yuh score, use the money wisely”.

And Munroe said Warmington’s brazen public commitment to use his ministerial office to promote misuse of public funds clearly breaches the 2002 Code of Conduct for ministers and unashamedly violates the provision in Jamaica’s Constitution prohibiting discrimination against citizens on grounds of politics.

“In a context where tribal politics is seriously undermining our people’s confidence in our democratic system and where citizens’ trust as well as participation in our democratic institutions is clearly declining, Prime Minister Holness must demand the immediate resignation of Minister Warmington,” he said.

Reminding the prime minister of his own injunction to ministers on taking office on September 7, 2020, Munroe said the head of government then declared: “No princes nor princesses were elected … we are all servants of the people … we must prevent the occurrence of actions which weaken public trust and damage the integrity of the government.”

The former NIA head charged that Warmington’s actions demonstrate gross disrespect for the prime minister’s injunction, contempt for his own ministerial oath to uphold the Constitution, and “absolute disregard for a fundamental right of the Jamaican people — JLP, PNP, and no P— not to be discriminated against”.

“Putting your commendable words into action, Mr Prime Minister, demand Warmington’s dismissal from the Cabinet,” Munroe said.

Late last evening, Warmington issued a statement to “clarify” what he had said while addressing JLP supporters in his constituency.

“I realise that my statements on funding for members of parliament and councillors have been misunderstood in public discourse. It was never my intention to imply that a duly elected councillor should be denied rightful funding for their municipal division,’ he said.

“My remarks were focused on the established practice that MPs direct funds for constituencies while councillors direct funds from the municipal council. These are distinct and separate channels,” he added.

Warmington, while addressing JLP supporters, had said: “A me in charge yah suh. I am the minister of works and the member of parliament. Nuh PNP councillor gwine spend my money.”

His declaration, captured on video that has since gone viral, was followed by resounding applause from Labourites at the meeting.

Further, the senior Cabinet minister pledged to provide resources to the JLP candidate who lost to Waul to spend on projects in the division.

“He might not be the councillor in name, but he will be in charge,” Warmington said of the defeated JLP candidate.

In his statement, Warmington said: “My reference to ‘my money’ was intended to describe these allocations that I, in my role as MP, help oversee. It should also be noted that as MP, I do spend my personal resources on constituency matters.”

Describing Warmington and Meadows’ comments as “despicable and repugnant”, Jackson said both political parties should not only distance themselves from their remarks but also take strong action against them.

She said a look at the data from the JCF shows that lottery scamming was not only a criminal offence, but was linked to the possession and use of illegal firearms to commit murders.

“A lot of individuals have also been tied to gangs that have been operating at a level that is a threat to the safety and security of the citizens in Jamaica.”

She said that despite the apology tendered by Meadows, his remarks should not have been made in the first place.

Jackson said Warmington’s comments were particularly concerning because they touched on and concerned the process of local governance and corruption in the handling of taxpayers’ money.

“This is not the first type of comment that Mr Warmington has made. He has used expletives when speaking to members of the media and members of the public. He has also spoken just recently about the gerrymandering of an entire parish. At what point will the prime minister of Jamaica say that this is not the type of leadership that I want in my Cabinet,” she said.

Acknowledging that while the prime minister cannot remove Warmington from Parliament, she said, “We are calling on the prime minister to remove Mr Warmington as a Cabinet minister.”

She said that both political leaders have something to say to the public and the country is watching to see what Holness and Golding will do.

Jackson said the paltry 29.6 per cent turnout in Monday’s local government elections has signalled that Jamaicans “are scornful of the type of political leaders that we have”.

She said young people are disgusted at the type of political leadership that is on display in Jamaica.

General Secretary of the PNP Dr Dayton Campbell yesterday “strongly rebuked” the remarks made by Meadows.

“The party does not condone nor support any endorsement or tolerance of criminal activities, including lottery scams or any form of fraud,” he said in a news release.

Public commentator Carol Narcisse said both Warmington and Meadows were demonstrating by their behaviour that they have nothing to offer the country that is wholesome and forward-thinking.

“Jamaica deserves better, Jamaica deserves more. We need to dispense with these low-functioning folks.”

The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce have also condemned the remarks made by Warmington and Meadows.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com