The People’s National Party (PNP) says it will not be deterred by Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ threat to sue members of the party over alleged false and defamatory statements about when he became aware of an Integrity Commission illicit enrichment probe into his financial affairs.

Holness’ attorneys said on Thursday that they were given instructions by the prime minister to take legal action against PNP members who made the allegations against him at a press conference earlier in the day.

READ: Holness moves to sue PNP members for ‘false and defamatory statements’

However, the PNP hit back in a release Friday, stating that the party “… will continue to promote and defend the rights of the Jamaican people to good governance, transparency and probity in public life.

“The threat of legal action will neither deter nor distract from that mission. In addition, the spectre of a frivolous lawsuit will not stop the party from carrying out its representational duties and its constitutional responsibilities as the Opposition,” the party stated.

At a press conference on Thursday, members of the PNP including party president Mark Golding suggested that 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.

However, the JLP has said the prime minister spoke the truth when he indicated to the media on August 17, 2023 that he was not aware of any member of the JLP being written to by the Integrity Commission with an indication that they are under investigation for illicit enrichment.

Holness’ attorneys from the law firm Henlin Gibson Henlin in a release also outlined what it said was the timeline of correspondence between Holness and the Integrity Commission which it said confirms that the prime minister “did not lie” when he said on August 17 that he was not aware of the investigation.

The attorneys noted that based on their records, communication of the investigation was made to them on August 18, 2023.

The Integrity Commission 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 involve 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.