KINGSTON, Jamaica – Opposition Leader Mark Golding is touting a recall system that would see elected officials booted from office for non-performance or for their involvement in illicit activities.

Such a system exists in countries like the United States and it has been used to boot under-performing politicians from office.

Golding made the call Sunday at the National Arena as he addressed the 85th annual conference of the People’s National Party (PNP).

“We want to make the Government accountable to the people of Jamaica in the Parliament,” said Golding as he reminded that this was the reason why he brought the Impeachment Bill to Parliament when he was Justice Minister in the last PNP government. He said it was to ensure that “when a politician violates the sacred trust of the people, he or she will be held accountable.”

Continuing, Golding said “we want to deepen the democracy, we want to make the elected people more accountable to those they represent. We must introduce a recall mechanism for non-performing elected representatives as other parties and countries have done around the world. “And we must restore the convention where the committees of parliament are chaired by the opposition.”

That practice was ended by Prime Minister Andrew Holness after the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) won the 2020 general election except for two committees – the Public Accounts Committee and the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee.

“Those committees are supposed to be a check and balance on the government. They cannot be effective if they’re controlled by the government,” said Golding. He charged that “when Andrew Holness reversed the convention after the 2020 election it was a retrograde step.”

And, he accused the JLP of being a corrupt administration.

Said Golding: “A corrupt government cannot liberate the people. If the head of the stream is corrupt, the entire river will be also.”

“I do not support corruption. Corruption takes money away from children’s education, it deprives hospitals of basic necessities, it means that roads are not fixed, corruption deepens inequality, it siphons off taxpayers’ money to make a few cronies richer …instead of benefitting the people.”

The Opposition leader also took a swipe at the government, accusing it of doing everything it can to weaken and undermine the Integrity Commission. According the Golding, “Jamaica cannot move forward without a government built on integrity and which embraces principles of good governance.

“That is what I believe in, that is how I live my life,” he stated before declaring himself a “ born Jamaican, son of the soil.”

Golding said he is from a family that has given selfless service to the people of Jamaica.