LITTLE LONDON, Westmoreland — Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has declared that his Administration will not sit idly by while misinformation and deliberate falsehoods are spread to confuse and divide the Jamaican people.

Holness declared his intention to wage battle against those who seek to distort the truth in the wake of criticism over the Government’s handling of the Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts.

Speaking during the official opening of the newly constructed Little London Police Station in this parish on Friday, the prime minister lamented what he described as a “growing culture of deliberate mischief” in public discourse whereby some individuals intentionally twist facts in order to mislead the public.

“If it is one thing that you can say about me, mi nuh fraid ah nuhbody. All who want to talk, mek meme, gwaan; mi will go wid yuh toe to toe. Every nonsense you talk, I will respond to it,” Holness declared, adding that he will not allow lies to take hold.

“And, as you would have seen with the Government, man come out with foolishness, mi respond [with], ‘Nothing nuh go suh.’ And as many memes as they can make, I can make it too, so it’s going to be war. Because we cannot allow the people who peddle nonsense, the people who tell lies, we cannot allow them to win — so we will have it out,” added Holness.

“As I have said, it is not just managing the disaster, it is managing the false information, and we have to go to war with that too. Much false information distracts people when we need to have a positive mindset for recovery. So, I urge everyone here today: Let us have a positive mindset for recovery. All the people who are vested in creating lies and rumours, I urge you to think as well about your country and what you’re doing,” he urged.

The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) and other Jamaicans have criticised the Government’s handling of the recovery in western Jamaica. They have claimed that the process of helping those impacted by the storm is being motivated and handled in a partisan manner. Detractors also claim that the process is slow and inadequate. Meanwhile, the PNP has suggested the process should be handled by elected representatives instead of government ministers.

Holness said the Government will be transitioning from handing out packages to the distribution of vouchers.

“It is disgusting that persons would want to make political issues over the distribution of aid. …Some people can’t help themselves. They can’t resist it. And so, we are going to shift from the distribution of food packages to giving persons coupons or cards so that they can go and buy the stuff that they need,” revealed Holness.

The prime minister also dismissed naysayers who he said may be questioning why he was opening the Little London Police Station when the money could assist with Hurricane Melissa recovery.

“For those who will want to criticise the opening of a police station in the midst of a disaster recovery process, this police station was conceptualised in 2017 in a partnership programme between the NHT (National Housing Trust) and the Government of Jamaica [in] that where the NHT is involved in building communities, housing schemes and housing developments, [a police station should be available],” explained Holness who noted that there are two such housing solutions in the Little London area.