Opposition leader says party is 'appalled' following Holness allegations

Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, says the People's National Party is "appalled" to learn of Prime Minister Andrew Holness' implication and possible charges in a multi-million dollar corruption probe.

Holness, who is currently off the island attending a CARICOM conference, has been referred to the Director of Corruption Prosecution after the Integrity Commission concluded that he may have influenced the awarding of millions of dollars in government contracts to the company of a business associate.

Golding in a statement said, “This revelation exposes the country to international embarrassment. A head of Government should be beyond reproach, and it is unacceptable that he has been besmirched by accusations of impropriety."

"That the country’s principal integrity and anti-corruption body has found sufficient evidence to refer our Prime Minister for potential prosecution, places Jamaica in an untenable position,” he added. 

According to Golding, the news is consistent with the Prime Minister’s "troubling history" with the Integrity Commission. 

"The Opposition believes the implications of the report to be potentially crippling for the Government. The International Community and multi-lateral agencies will have significant misgivings about dealing with a country whose Head of Government has the implications of this situation hanging over his head.," he said. 

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