A Radio Jamaica report that leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Andrew Holness was under investigation and attacks on social media against his wife’s family are to be the subjects of legal proceedings, the party said in separate releases yesterday.

“The JLP would like to make it clear that there is no investigation into the affairs of Mr Holness and that he is current with all his statutory and fiduciary reports as mandated by law,” the JLP said.

“We are very surprised by that news report and hope that the station has not been consumed by the web of lies being spun by the PNP (People’s National Party). We know that

RJR is a reputable news organisation but we are concerned how such an erroneous story could have passed the editors. We are asking that it be withdrawn as we take the reputation of our leader and his family as a serious matter,” said JLP General Secretary Horace Chang.

“JLP lawyers are probing all statements made publicly and will take appropriate action in short order,” the release said.

At the same time, the JLP said Juliet Holness and her parents — Mr and Mrs Landell — are saddened that their good family name has been dragged through the mud by accusations that their son is a drug dealer and money launderer and have retained an attorney to defend their reputation.

“On social media and throughout Jamaica, PNP members, including councillors and PNP affiliated groups… have commenced a campaign of misinformation claiming that our son was convicted of drug trafficking and money laundering in the United States. This claim is not only demonstrably false, but defamatory character assassination of a private citizen, simply aimed to distract from real issues and to malign our daughter and son-in-law,” the JLP release quoted a family spokesman.

“It is disappointing [that] PNP members would hold ordinary citizens in such low regard. Moreover, we sincerely hope that Jamaicans will not believe these baseless accusations.

“Nonetheless, our lawyer is cataloguing each and every public statement made to defame our son and our daughter. Those responsible for weaving this disgusting web of lies will be held accountable in a court of law,” said the family spokesman in the JLP release.

The PNP stepped up its attack on the JLP leader since last week, raising several questions about a property in Beverly Hills owned by him and his wife.