Black Immigrant Daily News
The People’s National Party said it totally rejects the statement by Jamaica Labour Party General Secretary Dr Horace Chang, accusing the PNP and its supporters of attempting to compromise the investigations of Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL).
General Secretary of the PNP, Dr Dayton Campbell, called on Dr Chang to show proof of any statement by the PNP or the Opposition that could be interpreted in any way as an attempt to undermine or compromise the investigations.
“If his objective is to silence the party or in any way censor our position on Dr Nigel Clarke’s ministerial delinquency, then he should think again,” Campbell said.
JLP General Secretary and Security Minister Dr Horace Chang.
In a statement Monday, Campbell said the PNP asserts without any fear of truthful contradiction that it has been responsible, measured and careful in all public utterances dealing with the SSL issue in spite of the admittance of the minister of finance that he fell asleep around the wheel by not reviewing reports sent to his office.
“The People’s National Party exists to support the masses of the Jamaican people in their quest for justice in all forms. We shall not resile from our obligations and duty to represent our people, even if the JLP feels politically embarrassed,” Campbell said.
He further questioned why Chang did not feel an obligation to make similar allegations against former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who has been as pointed as the PNP in highlighting regulatory failures in the SSL scandal. “This unmasks the hypocrisy and the scapegoating attempt by the JLP,” he added.
The general secretary also said that the JLP, in its haste to defend the finance minister’s role, contradicts itself by asserting FSC independence while, at the same time, commending the minister for the decisive role he is now playing in managing the crisis.
Campbell said the PNP fully supports all public utterances made by President Mark Golding and Spokesman on Finance and Planning, Julian Robinson, who it said have been “scrupulous and accurate at all times in executing the burden of holding the relevant agencies, departments and ministries of government accountable for this massive regulatory blunder”.
He said to his certain knowledge, all information coming to the party had been thoroughly checked, and no public statement has ever been issued before confirmation of the legitimacy of all documents.
Campbell reminded that the PNP Government of the 1990s rebuilt Jamaica’s weak financial regulatory system and created a robust and modern regulatory mechanism underpinned by relevant legislation and strong institutions.
He said the PNP government rebuilt the economy between 2012 and 2016 after the global financial meltdown between 2007 and 2011.
Additionally, he reminded that it was the Opposition Spokesman on Finance who first proposed the engagement of the FBI and international forensic auditors to help in the SSL probe.
Campbell said it is, therefore, preposterous and an “open attempt to create a political diversion for Chang to accuse the PNP of attempting to compromise investigations and undermine confidence in Jamaica’s financial sector — locally and internationally.
“The PNP agrees with Chang that this is not a time for political one-upmanship and urges him to withdraw his baseless and scurrilous statement,” Chang said.
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