St James ministers fraternal presses for transparency after Integrity Commission report on Wheatley

Church leaders in Jamaica are calling for greater transparency after the Integrity Commission tabled a report in Parliament recommending that Cabinet minister Dr Andrew Wheatley face a criminal charge of illicit enrichment.

Speaking on the matter this evening, Chairman of the St James Ministers Fraternal, Reverend Glendon Powell, said accountability must follow if the findings against the minister are upheld. He argued that if Dr Wheatley is found guilty, the prime minister should move swiftly to address the situation.

Powell said decisive leadership is required at the highest level of government. "If he is truly culpable, as alleged, action is needed," he stated. "Nobody should have to ask for it. It should be taken on its own. But the prime minister has a responsibility to take action if that is true."

The Integrity Commission's recommendation, now before Parliament, has drawn renewed attention to standards in public office and to how the executive responds when independent watchdogs point to possible wrongdoing by a sitting minister.

For the St James Ministers Fraternal, the focus remains on openness around the process and on ensuring that credible findings lead to appropriate consequences, without delay or political hesitation.