PRIME Minister Andrew Holness said he will not seek to cover up any form of corruption in his Government, but will instead take firm and decisive action.
Holness, who was addressing supporters in Alligator Pond yesterday during the party’s Manchester road tour, said as a leader he is never afraid to make firm decisions.
“If there are things wrong in our Government, we are not hiding it because we don’t stand for corruption,” Holness said. You have a leader who takes firm decisions when it comes to that, and that is what the Jamaican people want; it means as your leader, that is what you will get, strong and decisive leadership,” he added.
The prime minister’s pronouncement comes a day after his transport and works minister Mike Henry stepped aside following the damning auditor general’s report into the controversial US$400-million Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme.
Following the report, the prime minister relieved Henry of the responsibility of the Chinese-funded JDIP and transferred it to the Office of the Prime Minister. Also, head of the National Work Agency Patrick Wong was sacked from his job, and today the permanent secretary, Dr Alwin Hales will be going on vacation leave.
Yesterday, Holness made it clear that the party which he leads would not be covering up the issues. “So when they ask me who is responsible, I don’t tell them to go ask the PNP (People’s National Party), I say I am responsible; I take responsibility. I deal with the matters,” the prime minister said.
The prime minister, who declared the JLP as a party of truth and transparency, said there has been a lot of talking going on. “One man, as him hear a little rumour, him run and make a big thing [of it], then it is proved there is nothing in it at all. You call those people mischief makers and rumour mongerers,” he said.
In what was a definite shot at the Opposition People’s National Party, Holness said his party does not seek to hide information from the public. “We don’t go to court and beg the court not to put our business in public. When they have Trafigura, they go and plead and beg the court not to put their business in public,” he said.
Meanwhile, Holness told the jubilant supporters that a big event [general election] is coming up and a number of people are nervous and anxious because they know “when the day comes, them going to lose them shirt”.
Said the prime minister: “Of all the people who have already made up their minds that the Labour Party has done well despite all the problems and challenges, when you take stock and count up what the PNP has done and what the Labour Party has done, the answer is clear, there is only one way and that is the Labour Party way. I know when the time is set, whichever day it is, you all will be ready to put the argument to rest,” Holness said.
Deputy JLP leader Desmond McKenzie urged the labourites to turn out for a mass meeting in Mandeville this Sunday, when the election date is likely to be announced.
The JLP held the road tour in the parish in a bid to shore up support for newcomers Danville Walker, Colin Virgo and Timothy Scarlett who are hoping to wrestle the seats in traditional PNP strongholds.
Source: jamaicaobserver
