MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Claiming that “irresponsible statements” by the parliamentary Opposition were sending “jitters” through the financial and investment community, Finance Minister Audley Shaw has called on political ombudman Herro Blair to intervene.

“I say to Bishop Herro Blair that if you want some serious work to do, go and ask the PNP to retract all of those false and mischievous statements…,” Shaw told a large crowd of Jamaica Labour Party (JL)P) supporters at the Manchester High School late yesterday.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the main speaker at what was a consolidated parish conference of the JLP ahead of the upcoming weekend’s annual conference, also zeroed in on the issue claiming “I cringe, I hold mi head down, when I hear people in high positions in politics talk in such a way as to make investors uncertain…”

According to Holness, “I worry because the financial markets and investors have already (said) in no uncertain terms, they fear a change in Government…”

But it was the more strident Shaw who went furthest. Listing a number of what he claimed were “false and mischievous” statements made by leading PNP spokespersons over the last two weeks, Shaw said the worst had come from Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller, who appeared to suggest late last week that a government led by her might not honour divestment agreements reached by the current administration.

“I call up on the ombusman… not to bother worry ’bout little remarks on the platform, like leggo beast and … loader man… Worry about an Opposition that is so irresponsible that they will make statements that seek to destabilise the economy, destroy business confidence and put the economy into more trouble…,” said Shaw.

The finance minister claimed that “Never in the history of Jamaica has any Oopposition leader threatened investors (about) what they are going to do if they come back in power… It has sent jitters among the financial community, it has sent jitters among the investment community, people are worried. But I can now declare to them ‘don’t worry because the PNP will not get back to power…”

Holness told Labourites, that “the affairs of this country and the skill and state craft needed to manage the affairs of this country have passed the PNP years ago… that skill now resides in the competent Cabinet of the Jamaica Labour Party… Investors know this, the people of Jamaica know this, that the only way is to follow the plan laid down by the Jamaica Labour Party…”

Striking a lighter note, the prime minister urged Shaw to “forgive” the offending PNP spokespersons “because they know not what they do…”