Government Senator Abka Fitz-Henley has accused the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) of being willing to “without credible basis trample and mess up the reputation of hardworking and honest Jamaicans” in its quest for political power.

Fitz-Henley made the charge when he addressed a meeting of Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) youth affiliate, Young Jamaica, on Taylor Hall at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus on Wednesday.

The Government Senator appeared to push back against criticisms made by Opposition Senator Peter Bunting of a promotion given by the Jamaica Constabulary Force to former journalist and now Senior Superintendent of Police, Dennis Brooks.

Bunting addressed a PNP meeting in St Elizabeth on the weekend and described the promotion as strange. Senator Bunting reasoned that it appears the best way to get a promotion is to work at a “friendly media house” then join the Constabulary.

Fitz-Henley hit back at the Opposition lawmaker and accused Bunting of hypocrisy.

“These are guys who appear prepared to without credible basis trample and mess up the reputation of hard working and honest Jamaicans who do well for themselves and are serving in their country in various fields,” Fitz-Henley charged.

Fitz-Henley, who is a former broadcast journalist at Nationwide News Network and Press Association of Jamaica 2016 Journalist of the Year, went further.

“When I was in media, I built a reputation of being fair. So Labour Party people would come to me when they have stories to put out there. I believe dem call me ‘Breaking News Boss’ then and because I built a reputation for being fair, some of these same PNP guys who you hear on air talking about JLP FM, dem same one when they wanted stories in the public domain, would come to me and other people at this media entity that they seek to disparage and denigrate, because they knew that they could depend on the entity to be professional and to be fair,” Fitz-Henley said.

“So when I hear a man talking about a media house is friendly to a particular political party, but him and his people, when they wanted stories out, they link that media entity, it is hypocrisy. But again, that is just an indication that the PNP are willing to mash up the reputation of anybody because they are desperate for political power. I say to them, don’t draw me out because I will talk di tings and expose the hypocrisy,” Fitz-Henley added to rousing applause from the gathering.