KINGSTON, Jamaica – The United Independents’ Congress of Jamaica (UIC Jamaica) has called for a speedier ruling in the case of its leader Joseph Patterson who is challenging the constitutionality of his 2021 arrest and charge over a public protest during the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The optics is one of the prime minister using the courts to silence his political opponent and slow the rise of Jamaica’s official third registered political party,” claimed the UIC in a press release Thursday signed by its caretaker for Westmoreland Eastern Winston Wright.

Patterson was among several persons arrested during a public march organised by the UIC in downtown Kingston. They were demonstrating against mandatory COVID-19 vaccines – despite no such mandates being given by the Jamaican government – and demanding the resignation of all 63 members of parliament.

The UIC head subsequently brought a constitutional challenge before the Supreme Court alleging that his arrest was unlawful and a violation of his rights.

“The Andrew Holness-led administration overstepped its bounds when it used the police force to assault, arrest and jail him and others during resistance to their improper response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the UIC release stated.

“These unconstitutional actions occurred in Kinston at the UIC’s Freedom March on September 22, 2021, which Mr Patterson led as President of Jamaica’s third officially registered political party,” the UIC continued. “The Constitutional Court, after delaying Mr Patterson’s hearing for nearly three years, heard the case eventually and gave its assurance of a ruling by July 31, 2024, but has to date still not delivered a verdict. Clearly, this is justice delayed and justice delayed is justice denied!”

The party claims the case is expected to be precedent-setting as it challenges the colonial era Public Order Act and seeks to clarify the powers of the prime minister’s national emergencies.

Patterson is reportedly still required to regularly appear before the lower courts in Half Way Tree and Mandeville as he is still on bail which affects his livelihood as an internationally Chartered Professional Accountant.

The release says he was initially denied station bail by the police “which was apparently acting on cues from what appears to be a very vindictive and tyrannical Government which misused the police as part of its effort to impose the will of its foreign masters on the people of Jamaica.”

Immediately following the incident, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) had said via Facebook, “The police have arrested the main organiser of the protest, Joseph L Patterson, following his non-compliance with the provisions under the Public Order Act. Jamaican laws require that individuals organizing public marches must get a permit from the police. No permit was sought and none was granted.”

The statement was accompanied by a video of Patterson being firmly pulled away from the protest into a police vehicle.

Citing what it said has been the relatively speedy progress of a case brought before the court by the prime minister, the UIC has alleged double standard.

“Jamaicans have all seen where Mr Holness was able to bring his case before the Supreme Court in less than 90 days while Mr Patterson had to wait some 1, 000 days, nearly three years for his case to be heard. The Chief Justice (Bryan Sykes) needs to explain this glaring bias,” the UIC said.