The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has pushed back against the governing Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) allegations of corruption involving PNP officials, labeling them as “baseless and defamatory attacks.”
The PNP announced in a press release on Thursday that it will be taking legal action to put an end to what it termed “a reckless smear campaign”.
Earlier on Thursday, the JLP called on PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell and Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby to resign in the wake of the purported corruption scandal involving the misuse of funds Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) to allegedly fund PNP operatives.
In a statement above the name of party Chairman Angela Brown Burke, the PNP said the JLP’s accusations are a desperate attempt to distract from the Government’s own corruption scandals.
“We have full confidence in our General Secretary, Dr Dayton Campbell, and the Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Andrew Swaby, who have been unjustly targeted,” the parliamentary Opposition said.
It added that, “These malicious and politically motivated accusations — without a shred of credible evidence — are nothing more than a cowardly attempt to deflect attention from the JLP’s governance failures and corruption scandals.”
The Opposition party also called on law enforcement agencies to clarify whether any investigation is underway, emphasisng that those involved should be informed through due process rather than being subjected to the JLP’s “political theatre”.
“The PNP challenges the JLP and its operatives: If you possess any legitimate evidence, submit it to law enforcement authorities. Otherwise, cease these defamatory attacks immediately,” the PNP advised.
Meanwhile, the Opposition highlighted what it described as corruption and mismanagement under the JLP Government, including the squandering of hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds, selective justice for political allies, and ongoing conflicts between various anti-corruption bodies.
“Instead of addressing these urgent concerns, the JLP is preoccupied with manufacturing scandals to manipulate the public and deflect from its own corruption crisis,” the PNP insisted.
The Opposition said it will not be distracted, and remains committed to good governance, transparency, and ensuring that public funds serve the Jamaican people.
