The governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has accused Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding of making several false claims during Thursday night’s debate with JLP leader Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

In a release on Saturday, the JLP accused Golding of being untruthful in the following claims:

– That Holness has 28 bank accounts;
– That he (Golding) did not hesitate to respond to concerns about his allegiance to Britain;
– That Holness withdrew monies from Ponzi schemes before their failure, implying prior knowledge;
– That Holness bought a house from FINSAC; and
– That Julian Robinson only welcomed the salary increases to the political directorate because he didn’t know what was proposed.

On the matter of the salary increases, the JLP claimed that Robinson was fully aware and also went on to ask about the pension of former parliamentarians. According to the JLP, it was dishonest for Golding to suggest that members of the Opposition were not privy to all the information that it claimed had already been shared by then Minister of Finance Dr Nigel Clarke.

“Not only did Mr Golding make false statements without any regard for the truth, but he also displayed highly deceptive and hypocritical conduct when he described the salary increases as unconscionable, knowing fully well that he has accepted his own increase, while the prime minister declined,” said JLP Campaign Spokesperson, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.

The JLP further alleged that Golding is the highest-paid politician in the country, having allegedly accepted the increase.

“Golding also sought to drag the prime minister’s name through the mud for good-faith investments undertaken by many Jamaicans. Yet, he was stumped when reminded that the PNP itself admitted to receiving US$1 million from Olint,” Johnson Smith said.

“He was also untruthful in his comments concerning his efforts to block Jamaica from becoming a Republic,” Johnson Smith continued. “Golding’s string of untruths, deceptions, and sheer hypocrisy confirm what Jamaicans already know — he cannot be trusted, and he certainly cannot be trusted to lead our country.”

Thursday’s leadership debate between Holness and Golding was the last of three debates staged by the Jamaica Debates Commission in the run-up to the September 3 General Election.