KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition leader Mark Golding has suggested that Prime Minister Andrew Holness misled the country when he told the media last year that he wasn’t aware of any Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) parliamentarians being under investigation for illicit enrichment.

The People’s National Party president was speaking with Observer Online following the tabling of the 179-page Integrity Commission (IC) report in Parliament on Tuesday.

While he refused to make a substantive comment pending further examination of the report, Golding shared “It’s clear that the prime minister has been under investigation for illicit enrichment and he has known it since May in 2023.”

“There’s a recommendation that the matter be sent to the Financial Investigations Division which is a law enforcement agency for further investigation and that his statutory declarations cannot be certified until these issues are resolved so that’s a very serious matter,” he continued.

Golding noted that Holness had previously denied awareness that any of his party members were involved in an illicit enrichment probe.

“The prime minister himself publicly stated that he wasn’t aware of anyone on his side who was under investigation for illicit enrichment when he himself was one of the six,” Golding said.

In August 2023, the prime minister had told journalists as he toured the Clarendon Northern constituency that he is not aware of any of the party’s parliamentarians being investigated for illicit enrichment by the IC and that his consultations elicited a negative response.

“I have asked as far and as wide and I haven’t got that response from everyone, but as far as I have been told, no,” he had said.

The IC has recommended that both the Financial Investigation Division (FID) and Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) examine aspects of the financial affairs of Holness.

The matters that have been referred to the FID and TAJ involves over $150 million worth of transactions, with various companies, including Barita Investments and includes a US$94,000 bond. One of his sons is affiliated with one of the companies that have been mentioned.

READ: Integrity Commission wants FID, TAJ to probe aspects of PM’s financial affairs

Holness has since “strongly rejected” the recommendations, stating “let it be known that I have complied with any obligation placed on me within the law. The company with which I am the directly associated is compliant and up to date with its tax filings”.

“And I have worked hard, wisely and honestly to achieve whatever I have. I have never depended on the public purse,” Holness added.

READ: Holness hits back at Integrity Commission findings, says he has broken no law