THE Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has condemned what it claims are “political witch-hunts” launched by the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) against qualified Jamaicans who offer themselves for public service.

According to the PNP, the JLP’s objection to an Integrity Commission’s appointment, based solely on a past social association, is an example of this, and is reckless, hypocritical and without merit.

Late last week Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives Edmund Bartlett and Government Senate Leader Kamina Johnson Smith registered an objection to the appointment of Roneiph Lawrence as acting director of corruption prosecution at the Integrity Commission (IC).

In a letter to new head of the commission, retired Justice Carol Lawrence Beswick, the two House leaders asked her to investigate the circumstances that led to the departure of two senior officials from the entity.

They also pointed to a social media post on January 26 this year by PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell which contained a photograph of him in the company of Lawrence at what purports to be Lawrence’s wedding.

“Dr Campbell provides context for this photo in his description of Lawrence as his friend of over 20 years, dating back to Chancellor Hall/university days,” Bartlett and Johnson Smith said in the letter seen by the Jamaica Observer.

On Sunday the PNP fired back pointing out that Jamaica is a country of 2.7 million people where social and professional associations with people who are active in national politics are inevitable.

“Those commonplace connections are innocuous and are not, in and of themselves, indicators of political bias, and do not disqualify anyone from public service,” said the PNP in a media release over the signature of its Chairman Dr Angela Brown Burke

“The notion that a friendship at university, or merely attending a wedding, should be grounds to question someone’s suitability for a national appointment is both illogical and a vulgar display of political intimidation by a Government more interested in persecution than principle,” said Brown Burke.

“This kind of behaviour only discourages many decent and capable Jamaicans from participating in public life. Without a shred of evidence, the JLP is intent on castigating a professional in the public space, undermining independent institutions, and weaponising merely personal associations. It is a dangerous approach that corrodes trust in the public service and undermines national participation by those best suited to serve,” added Brown Burke.

She argued that Lawrence was considered fit to serve by the relevant commissions that are responsible for such appointments.

“There is no record of misconduct or bias, yet his appointment is being attacked because someone who attended his wedding is affiliated with the PNP. This is political victimisation, plain and simple. In contrast, the father of a recently appointed IC commissioner was once a JLP politician, but the Leader of the Opposition [Mark Golding] did not stoop to opposing the proposed appointment on that basis,” said Brown Burke.

She charged that, “the JLP’s hypocrisy is glaring” and pointed out that Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s wife serves as Speaker of the House and his business partner chairs the Urban Development Corporation and the Housing Agency of Jamaica.

In a dumbfounding twist, Brown Burke also pointed to Jamaica Observer’s Deputy Managing Director Natalie Chin, who is married to Cabinet member Matthew Samuda, without providing any indication as to how this is related to the JLP’s questions about an individual who is appointed to a post in a State agency.

“The message being sent by the JLP is dangerous and undemocratic: mere association with someone from an opposing party can impair your career advancement and cost you your opportunity to serve.

“The PNP rejects the toxic and retaliatory politics being practised by the JLP. We will continue to defend the right of qualified Jamaicans to serve their country without fear, intimidation or political interference,” said Brown Burke.