The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) says it is disappointed with what it called racially divisive comments made recently by government minister Everald Warmington.

“These comments have no place in the Jamaican context now or in the past as it is totally inconsistent with our motto ‘out of of many one people’,” the PSOJ said in a release on Wednesday.

Speaking at a St Catherine North Eastern constituency conference on Sunday, Warmington reportedly asserted that Opposition Leader Mark Golding will never become prime minister of Jamaica because of his skin colour.

Noting that the People’s National Party (PNP) used racial politics against former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Edward Seaga, Warmington indicated that it was fair game to take a similar dig against Golding.

“If he wants to be prime minister go back a England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, but him nah beat Michael Andrew Holness, I don’t talk about colour and race, but they started it, so let me finish it,” Warmington, the JLP Area Council Two chairman, reportedly said.

However, the PSOJ said the utterances by Warmington directly contradict the Political Code of Conduct, which states that party officials (including platform speakers) should not make statements which “are malicious in reference to opposing candidates, their families and Party officials”.

The PSOJ added, “Our political leaders have a moral responsibility to ensure that we adhere to the code of conduct and most importantly provide a good example by setting the tone for a decent, inclusive and harmonious society.

“We cannot expect to positively address our social issues if our leaders display poor judgement in their tone and statements towards each other,” the private sector lobby group said.

The PSOJ also urged the prime minister and Opposition leader “to take the higher ground in the interest of managing the tone of the communication of their political operatives in line with our agreed political code of conduct.”