Golding Says Holness Defies Westminster Norms by Retaining Wheatley in Cabinet

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Leader Mark Golding has charged that Prime Minister Andrew Holness is undermining Westminster-style governance by leaving Andrew Wheatley in the Cabinet even after the Integrity Commission of Jamaica recommended he face charges over alleged illicit enrichment and other corruption-related matters.

Speaking to party supporters at Sunday’s Admiral Town Divisional Conference, Golding said democracies modelled on Westminster expect public officeholders implicated in grave corruption claims or named for prosecution to withdraw from their posts until those matters are settled.

“Andrew Holness is violating that principle. And why is he violating that principle? He’s being a hypocrite in doing so because there are several instances in the past where he was quite categorical when he was in opposition that if the situation ever arose, he would do the right thing and the person would have to step back. But he’s not doing it. He’s trying to tough it out,” Golding said.

The opposition chief contended that Holness is holding Wheatley in place because removing him could open the door to similar action on other Integrity Commission files involving members of the administration.

“He himself is the subject of a very serious investigative report with allegations of all kinds of irregular financial dealings, which the Integrity Commission said should be referred to the FID, the Financial Investigation Division, which investigates financial crimes because there was certain information that they were seeking from Andrew Holness and he was not willing to provide them and so they couldn’t take the matter to its conclusion. And that matter is now in abeyance. What we see is the Labourites, their tactic is to try and tie the matters up in court,” Golding argued.

A commission report laid before Parliament found that Wheatley held wealth far beyond what his lawful income could account for — roughly $164 million — and that he could not offer an adequate explanation for the gap.

Several churches, civil society organisations and the Opposition have since demanded Wheatley’s resignation in light of the findings.