THE ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) labelled as a “vulgar and inappropriate” attack on the Public Service Commission Monday’s protest by the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) against Dennis Chung’s appointment as Financial Investigations Division (FID) boss.

Additionally, the JLP insisted that the Government will not be strong-armed into meddling with the selection, and hit back at the PNP’s claim that Chung was not qualified for the job.

The JLP launched its broadside as PNP leaders and supporters staged the protest outside the Ministry of Finance at National Heroes’ Circle in Kingston, pressing their call for the Government to rescind Chung’s appointment which, ironically, took effect Monday.

“The action taken by the PNP in the vicinity of the National Heroes’ Circle is vulgar and inappropriate and the Administration will not be bullied into taking action which would represent a breach of due process,” Government Senator Abka Fitz-Henley said at a press conference at the JLP’s Belmont Road headquarters in St Andrew.

He went further to claim that senior PNP members have contacted associates of Chung warning that he should walk away from the post of chief technical director of the FID “in the interest of his family”.

“We insist that the PNP take a step back and reconsider the conduct of some of its senior members,” said Fitz-Henley.

The PNP, in objecting to Chung’s appointment, raised questions about his qualifications for the post, saying he had no experience in law enforcement. The party also said that comments Chung made about the Integrity Commission’s report on Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness’s statutory declarations demonstrated bias.

However, during Monday’s news conference, Government Senator Marlon Morgan said Chung is “eminently qualified” for the job.

“There are persons who, in the past, have held the post of chief technical director at the FID who did not necessarily possess qualifications or experience specifically along the lines of law enforcement,” he said.

Morgan argued that Chung, “comes to this appointment being suitably and eminently qualified having regard to his skill sets, his education and training, and indeed how he has served in several capacities which includes corporate governance and public administration in this country. He is eminently qualified in our view”.

Fitz-Henley shared similar sentiments while criticising the media for not properly contextualising the history of those who have served in the post at the FID.

“At least five individuals have served either in a permanent or acting capacity as chief technical director of the FID and they have had no law enforcement experience. One, an accountant; the other, a chartered accountant; another individual, qualification in business administration. Another individual [had] qualification in economics. One has qualification in ICT, and another [was an] attorney-at-law,” Fitz-Henley claimed.

He also responded to a question posed by a journalist regarding a conflict of interest comparison with a director at the Integrity Commission.

“To compare this matter concerning Dennis Chung and the individual who was appointed to act as corruption prosecution director at the Integrity Commission is to compare oranges and, I dare say, grapes. I assure you, Dennis Chung was not at the wedding of Andrew Holness or Dr Horace Chang, therefore the conflict of interest raised by the Government’s parliamentary leaders concerning the appointment of the individual… is valid and in no way reduces the soundness of our objection to the sordid and despicable approach taken by the PNP to the appointment of Mr Dennis Chung who has a record of service across administrations,” said Fitz-Henley.

He further accused the PNP of intimidating senior public servants.

“We have information that the PNP is attempting to apply pressure to current office holders in key and sensitive agencies, demanding that inappropriate action be taken seeking to interfere in the conduct of their work,” he said.