KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Marlon Morgan is calling on the People’s National Party (PNP) to refrain from “selectively championing causes” following the party’s condemnation of the suspension of Dr Aujae Dixon following his participation in the September 3 general elections.

Dr Dixon was reportedly suspended from his duties by the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), which cited breaches of the Public Service Staff Order 4.2.6(1), which prohibits public officers from engaging in partisan political activity.

On Wednesday, PNP Spokesperson on Justice, Zulieka Jess, denounced the move as “undermining civic participation” and a violation of Dixon’s “constitutional rights to freedom of expression and association”.

READ: PNP condemns suspension of medical doctor for running in general election

Morgan described Jess’ statement as vulgar and hypocritical.

“Let us not forget that this same PNP, via its then General Secretary Julian Robinson, in 2020 had written to the Political Ombudsman seeking to have Rhoda Crawford sanctioned when in 2020 she had announced intention to enter representational politics and had only a few days remaining on her HEART TRUST NSTA contract,” Morgan recalled.

He continued, “Let us also not forget that in 2018, with no objection from the PNP, there was a public call for the resignation of OPM (Officer of the Prime Minister) Director of Communication Robert Morgan after he announced intention to enter representational politics. We should also recall that recently Councillor Dean Jones’ status as councillor was revoked when this same PNP took him to court arguing he was a public sector worker at the time of his election and in contravention of the rules.”

“These recent events indicate that the PNP’s objection to the interdiction of Dr Dixon is the latest example of their preparedness to apply convenient principles and barefaced hypocrisy in order to score political points. At no point when they sought to have members of the Jamaica Labour Party adversely impacted by the same section of the public sector staff orders applied to Dixon did they raise the issue of constitutionality of the provisions,” he added.

Morgan maintained that a year before the general election was held in 2025, a public advisory was issued by the Ministry of Health reminding of the requirements of the public sector staff orders.

“It is clear Dixon felt he was above the rules which is applicable to all public servants,” he said.

“This is an opportune moment for the PNP to embrace the Constitutional Reform Committee, as it is well-placed to provide a forum for sober, responsible and forward-looking dialogue and consensus on issues such as the Public Service Staff Orders reform, and make a determination as to which categories of public sector workers we could be allow to publicly engage in political activities, including contesting elections, in the same way that teachers are currently able to do,” Morgan said.