KINGSTON, Jamaica — While identifying Prime Minister Andrew Holness as perhaps the most lied upon Jamaican politician in the increasingly dynamic cyber-space, Government Senator Abka Fitz-Henley has taken aim at what he says appears to be a coordinated attempt by bloggers supportive of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) to make vile and untruthful statements on social media in a bid for political power.

Fitz-Henley made the comments during his contribution to the debate on the Cyber-Crimes Amendment Act (2026) in the upper house of Parliament on Friday.

“We here on this side believe in freedom of expression. Even in the competitive political space, we also believe in telling the truth about national issues. The Prime Minister has given a directive that narratives we advance must be rooted in facts. But it appears the other side, (the PNP) subscribes to another view that political power must be achieved at any cost, including by perpetrating terrible lies on their political opponents for political power”, Fitz-Henley told Parliament.

Fitz-Henley, a former Press Association of Jamaica Journalist of the Year, told Parliament of an experience he had before the 2016 General Election.

“Five days before the election, I woke to scores of messages on social media demanding in the most derogatory manner that traditional media tell the country that a prominent JLP official’s brother was arrested for drug dealing overseas.”

He continued, “The claim was made that proceeds of the crime were used to acquire assets. When checks were made, there was absolutely no truth to the allegation, not one iota of fact but the bloggers who openly declared support for the PNP ran with the false allegation despite it being demonstrably untruthful. Videos and artwork were created to push the lie. That kind of campaigning, based on vicious lies, is not good for our democracy”, Fitz-Henley opined.

The Government senator also raised narratives advanced by social media users who he noted have declared their support for the PNP concerning the recent Jolyan Silvera murder case, where the PNP politician admitted he shot his wife to death with his licensed firearm.

“Anytime that case came up for mention, some PNP sympathisers would look into the camera and record videos lying that a member of the JLP might have perpetrated the crime based on some land issue. The false allegation was made that the JLP member’s name was on the land title of the deceased.”

Fitz-Henley continued, “That was a total fabrication, a lie concocted from the depths of hell. But anytime the case came up for mention in court, dozens of videos were released by PNP sympathisers making the allegation.”

“I really believe the cybercrimes act should explicitly outlaw that kind of vicious concoction, and this should be the case whether the damaging allegation impacts politicians or any Jamaican”, Fitz-Henley reiterated.

Fitz-Henley also told Parliament he was disappointed but not surprised that members of the PNP leadership have chosen to publicly associate with what he described as some of the “chief purveyors on social media of the lies for political gain”.

He noted that one member of the PNP even went as far as suggesting that a national award should be given to one individual who, he told Parliament, advances false narratives on social media.

“I wish to caution those so inclined that this cannot be a healthy way to practice politics in Jamaica or anywhere in the world, for that matter. Sure, politics is a competitive activity, it is sometimes tense and acrimonious, but the truth should matter in terms of narratives advanced”, Senator Fitz-Henley commented.

He said many of the vicious lies on social media have sought to target the Prime Minister and House Speaker, Juliet Holness.

While conceding that the law could be more explicit in prohibiting malicious concoctions which have potentially major consequences for victims and their families, Fitz-Henley urged more Jamaicans affected by cyber-crimes to use provisions under the Cybercrimes Act to hold accountable individuals who use social media and their electronic devices to perpetrate damaging lies.