Dear Editor,

I was astonished to see Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ), via a statement to the media, reacting negatively to Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s decision to register his dismay and place a sanction on Government ministers who, at mimimum, displayed poor appreciation for the optics of removing their masks for a brief photo/video session at Shenseea’s album launch.

JFJ issued a statement recently calling for the law to be equitably applied to the ministers.

I had to ponder why an Instagram post by Opposition Leader Mark Golding in which he was not wearing a mask while surrounded by a number of ‘mask-less’ students from the Ukraine escaped JFJ’s attention.

The post showed Comrade Golding and his partying associates in close proximity, with balloons behind them and music playing. Some of the students were videotaped dancing and eating. The videos have gone viral online, but have been curiously ignored by mainstream media. I wonder why?

At least the prime minister registered his discontent with the optics surrounding the actions of his members, but it is amazing that it is he who some sections of civil society, including JFJ, have elected to criticise while brazenly ignoring more obsecene conduct by others on the opposite side of the political fence.

It is also curious that recent photographs of two Opposition Members of Parliament taking photographs without masks while out in public have escaped the attention of JFJ and media in general. So, too, Opposition Senator Damion Crawford, who was on the campaign trail not wearing a mask properly.

I wish to ask the JFJ and executive director of the Integrity Commission Greg Christie, who has been using his Twitter account to republish articles suggesting the DRMA charges should be brought against government officials not seen in masks during a video/photo opportunity, whether they think equitable application of the law should also apply to the PNP?

Have they no sense of shame?

Andrew Wilkinson

andrewwilkinson344@gmail.com