OPPOSITION Member of Parliament Desmond McKenzie hit back at Minister of Justice, Senator Mark Golding, on Wednesday at Gordon House, for forcing him to withdraw a comment on radio that the minister was “dishonest” in stating that assistance to victims of the 2010 Tivoli incursion had cost the Government some $1 billion.

Senator Golding cautioned McKenzie against using the word, “dishonest”, when they faced off on Nationwide Radio’s Nationwide This Morning on January 19, and the MP withdrew the term. But six weeks later, with Golding failing to honour a commitment to provide the information urgently, McKenzie now had him on his own turf and felt that it was time for him to produce the evidence or apologise and withdraw the $1-billion claim.

The row took place as the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) of the House of Representatives heard presentations from ministers during its review of the 2015 estimates on Wednesday afternoon.

McKenzie reminded the minister that he had publicly stated on the radio that the Government had spent some $1 billion in West Kingston to assist victims of the Tivoli incursion of May 24, 2010.

“I disputed that figure and I even went as far as saying that I think your response was dishonest, and you indicated that you would provide the details to substantiate where the expenditure was made in West Kingston,” McKenzie said.

The Opposition MP had insisted on radio that the total amount spent was approximately $100 million, as was recorded in a statement to the House of Representatives by Minister of Labour and Social Security Derrick Kellier, on September 17, 2013, as having been spent by the former JLP administration.

In the statement, Kellier said that approximately $90 million was spent to assist victims of the incursion, including $72 million paid to 2,500 families for damages, $13 million to vendors at the Coronation Market and $4.5 million to the families of 47 persons who died during the operation to assist with funeral expenses.

McKenzie said that the money was spent by residents on replacing damaged furniture, as well as some hospital and funeral expenses. He said that no further funding had been received by the residents since the change of administration in 2012.

He accused Golding of failing to provide the information to support his claim of $1 billion, and reminded him that he had withdrawn his “dishonest” comment, after Golding threatened legal consequences on the air.

“If you can’t provide the information now, then you should apologise and withdraw for misleading the country,” McKenzie insisted.

But House Speaker Michael Peart, who was chairing the meeting, felt that the SFC was not the forum for that.

Golding: Let him make his speech.

McKenzie: This money must be accounted for somewhere in the estimates…

Golding: Mr Chairman, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with the budget.

McKenzie: No, no! This is Parliament. You won’t run off you mouth and make a statement like that and don’t want to substantiate it.

Golding: You don’t have to be discourteous. You are being discourteous, but maybe you don’t even appreciate it.

These remarks triggered more noisy exchanges between the two sides, as Opposition MP Everald Warmington joined in, reminding Golding that he was not in the Senate, but was a guest of the House of Representatives and could be sent out.

Golding (responding to Warmington): Be quiet, please. You have nothing to offer to this discussion other than rudeness.

Warmington said that Golding should be asked to leave the meeting, as he was disrespecting members of the House of Representatives. Golding responded that he would leave if the committee so desired.

Speaker Peart: Mr Warmington, we don’t need an enforcer in this room, and you are behaving just like an enforcer right now.

The Speaker then allowed Golding to make his response.

Senator Golding said that the issue had nothing to do with the budget the committee was reviewing.

“However, what I would say to him is that the information which I provided at a press conference (at Jamaica House), which you raised on a radio talk show and which I responded to, and you withdrew your defamatory allegations at the time, which I was quite pleased to see you do, that information was provided by the Ministry of Finance and Planning to me,” Golding said.

“And I have asked them to provide the specifics of it…they have been busy crafting the budget but now that it is finished, I am hoping they will provide it,” Golding added.

He said that he has been following up on the request, and that the approximately $100 million, which was reported to the House by Kellier, was only a portion of the total amount.

But McKenzie said that wasn’t good enough, because the minister had indicated at the time of the radio exchange, that he would have provided the details urgently.

“It’s some two months now,” McKenzie recalled.

Leader of the House Phillip Paulwell intervened to bring some order, noting that McKenzie had already tabled questions on the issue, which are to be answered by the minister of finance and planning.

However, McKenzie said that it was the first time that he was having an opportunity to raise the issue again with Golding.

When Golding added some facial responses, Opposition Spokesman on Finance Audley Shaw suggested that he was being “out of order”, after misleading the country.

Golding: Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish, rubbish: Bareface.

McKenzie: That is the regard you have for the Jamaican people?

Golding: Whatever.

Speaker Peart recommended a 15-minute break, but Paulwell did not think that was necessary. He suggested, instead, that the presentations shift to national security, with the minister, Peter Bunting and the Opposition spokesman, Derrick Smith, taking the floor.

Peart: Okay, I think enough is enough.

Golding: Yeah. I think so, too.