Integrity trouble for Jamaican PM Holness continues

Prime Minister Andrew Holness‘ financial integrity troubles continue as Jamaica prepares for next year’s general elections. The oversight body shows no signs of backing down in refusing to certify the PM’s financial declarations and hiring its battery of attorneys to fight him.

The war between the head of government and the Integrity Commission has arisen because Holness is contesting the body’s annual report, which was recently tabled in the 63-member parliament.
Holness contends that the more than 150-page report contains “inaccurate and unlawful” information designed to impugn his integrity, casting doubts about the sanctity of his income statements submitted to the commission.

So, he has asked the Supreme Court to judicially review or cancel the investigations into his personal finances and even invalidate the report because they appear to be laying the groundwork for unwarranted criminal proceedings against him.

Specifically, he is challenging the legality of a critical section of the corruption act that can allow authorities to charge high officials for using their offices to illegally enrich themselves based on any probe that would show that their wealth is disproportionate to primary income sources. The PM says he has done nothing wrong.

Taking its stance against him, the commission hired its group of lawyers over the weekend to contest the PM’s approach to the Jamaican appeals court. Local media, including the mainstream Gleaner newspaper, are reporting that the law firm of Hylton Powell has been retained to represent it in the coming days, in the middle of preparations for next year’s general elections.

Polls show that the governing Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) is struggling with the electorate as it seeks a third consecutive term, while the main opposition party, the People’s National Party (PNP), appears to be enjoying a resurgence from the 49-14 whipping it took four years ago.

In all, the prime minister is asking for 21 declarations against the commission, including an order striking out the financial probe of his finances over the past three years, a ruling that his privacy was breached, another linked to the belief that the investigation was not impartial, and a finding that the case should not have been referred to the financial investigations division, among other contentions.
The case has caused significant political fissures among Jamaicans, with opposition supporters sensing a chance to weaken or topple Holness, whose party has said he is their most consequential leader in party history.