KINGSTON, Jamaica — Two Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) tabled a motion in support of the Integrity Commission’s recommendation to refer the investigation into Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ statutory declarations to the Financial Investigations Division (FID) during a sitting of the Integrity Commission (IC) Oversight Committee on Tuesday.

The motion was, however, blocked by Government MPs who make up the majority of the committee.

Brought by Opposition member Julian Robinson and seconded by fellow People’s National Party (PNP) MP Phillip Paulwell, the motion followed the IC report tabled in Parliament last Tuesday, which raised concerns about the prime minister’s declared assets between 2019 and 2022.

The report recommended that both the FID and Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) examine aspects of the financial affairs of Holness including $150 million worth of transactions with various companies and includes a US$94,000 bond.

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

The motion called for the committee to accept the Integrity Commission’s recommendation to refer the matter to the FID for further investigation.

However, the Government majority voted against the motion citing procedural and timing concerns.

Member of Parliament Paulwell expressed his disappointment with this move.

“In all my years on this committee, I have never seen us reject the recommendations of the Integrity Commission. This is a curious break in custom and raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability,” Paulwell said.

Robinson also voiced his concern about the implications of the decision.

“The Integrity Commission Act grants the commission the authority to refer matters to law enforcement bodies like the FID. By blocking this motion, the government is effectively stalling the investigation and denying the Jamaican people the transparency they deserve. This is not about politics — it’s about integrity and good governance,” he said.

Paulwell added that the government’s decision to block the motion sends a troubling message to the Jamaican public, suggesting that important checks and balances are being disregarded for political reasons.

“The PNP will not relent and will use all lawful means to ensure probity and keep the government honest while upholding principles of good governance and accountability,” he affirmed.

The FID said last week it was conducting a comprehensive analysis of the IC report to determine what, if any, specific area may be probed in keeping with its mandate.

READ: FID reviewing IC report to determine need for further probe