KINGSTON, Jamaica — Following numerous calls from the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) for him to resign, Trevor Forrest on Tuesday vacated the post of chairman of the Spectrum Management Authority (SMA), saying it is in the best interest of the “impeccable record” of the SMA and the Government and people of Jamaica.

Forrest, in a letter to Prime Minister Andrew Holness dated Tuesday, July 31, 2018, said he made the decision having given careful consideration to, and discussion with friends and family about the varying perspectives and viewpoints surrounding actions attributing to him in relation to the execution of his duties as chairman of the agency.

“I have never been one who is afraid to accept responsibility for any of my actions. It is the truth that as Chairman of the board my intentions have always been to abide by the tenets of good governance, the government’s corporate governance framework and the policies of the agency,” he said.

“In the best interest of the impeccable record of the SMA, the Government of Jamaica and more so the people of Jamaica who I ultimately serve, I hereby tender my resignation as Chairman of the SMA with effect 5:00pm today,” Forrest continued.

He further noted that the board will take the necessary actions to nominate a new chairman in light of the prevailing situation and advise the prime minister accordingly.

“It has been the greatest honour to serve my country and I sincerely regret any damage my actions may have caused to the reputation of the agency or Government of Jamaica,” Forrest’s statement ended.

His resignation follows what the PNP said is his attempt to influence the authority to hire Carolyn Warren to the organisation two years ago.

The party made a similar call last Friday, citing that his behaviour amounts to misconduct in office and abuse of power for which he should resign. But just Sunday, in response to media reports, Forrest insisted that he was not the “bad guy” as being portrayed in the media.

Forrest said that the views being expressed about him in the media were being driven by “cherry-picked” e-mails, in the absence of facts and circumstances, to suggest that his actions represented “all that is wrong with administration and sound judgement in the public sector”.

Added to that, new information also surfaced of an email exchange between Forrest and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology Hillary Alexander, in which Forrest sought to order Alexander to carry out his request to belatedly add Warren to the list of candidates shortlisted for the position of manager of administration at the agency, despite Alexander’s objection.