KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn says the President of the People’s National Party (PNP), Mark Golding, “crossed the line” with his comments towards Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ wife during Thursday night’s election debate.

In a post to X shortly after the debate, Cuthbert-Flynn said: “My husband and children are sacred. He did it twice. Crossed a line in a man-to-man debate.”

Golding had raised concerns about alleged conflicts of interest in the oversight of real estate development and local building regulations, noting that the relevant portfolios fall under the Office of the Prime Minister, while both the prime minister and his wife, Juliet Holness, appear to be involved in the real estate business.

“I think it is unfortunate the case of Mr Holness and his wife — they are in the business of real estate development, or certainly she is — and that presents serious conflicts of interest which have manifested themselves in some of their own schemes that they have developed. I think we need to have rules which preclude that kind of activity so that there are no questions of conflicts of interest,” Golding said.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in response, hit back at Golding, stating that his wife and family are hardworking Jamaicans.

“He questions my wife’s integrity about development. My wife and my family are hardworking Jamaicans — we started off with taxis like many other Jamaicans and I have worked hard. He has sought to weaponise that, but the people who receive me when I go into the country, they say, ‘Andrew, don’t worry, no weapon that form against you shall prosper,” Holness said.