JLP deputy general secretary calls out Golding on illicit enrichment investigation remarks

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Deputy General Secretary, Charles Sinclair, is calling out People's National Party (PNP) president Mark Golding for stating that no opposition parliamentarian is under investigation by the Integrity Commission for illicit enrichment.

Sinclair says as far as he is aware, the commission does not as a matter of practice write to individuals and state specifically that they are under probe for illicit enrichment.

As such, he says there is no way Golding can speak with any certainty.

"The PNP president is up to mischief and has been misleading the people on this matter for well over a year," Sinclair stated.

He says Golding should desist from making such remarks.

The JLP deputy general secretary says a recent public statement by the Chairman of the Integrity Commission, which is contained in the commission's latest annual report, and concerns the public narrative pertaining to illicit enrichment probes by the body, is instructive.

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He pointed out that the commission's chairman stated that "the police receive numerous complaints and allegations of various crimes that, when investigated, are found to be without merit. So does the Integrity Commission, which has no control over speculations, rumours or mischief-making in the society.”

Sinclair added that the chairman went on to further state that when a person approaches the commission, the director of information and complaints is compelled to record the complaint or information and submit it to the appropriate director of the commission for action and the commission lawfully makes a note of the probe in its annual report.

Sinclair says the public statement from the Integrity Commission chairman, which was contained in the commission's latest annual report, speaks for itself.

Two additional lawmakers have been referred for investigation for alleged illicit enrichment, the Integrity Commission has disclosed in its annual report for 2023-2024.

That puts the tally over the last two years to eight.

The law blocks the anti-corruption agency from speaking on its investigations before a report is tabled.

In its annual report for 2022-2023, the commission disclosed that six parliamentarians and 28 other public officials were referred for investigation for illicit enrichment.

The commission's latest report did not provide any updates on those referred last year. It said four other public officials were also referred for investigations.

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