KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) youth affiliate, Generation 2000 (G2K), has criticised Opposition Leader and People’s National Party (PNP) President, Mark Golding, for what it described as an “arrogant, entitled and immature” approach to the constitutional reform process.

In a statement on Sunday, G2K claimed that Golding refuses to meet with Constitutional Affairs Minister Delroy Chuck to discuss Jamaica’s transition to a republic, unless Prime Minister Andrew Holness is present.

The group said Golding’s stance demonstrates his unwillingness to cooperate on an issue of national importance and “signals his desire to act as an impediment to Jamaica removing the United Kingdom’s monarch as head of state”.

G2K also accused the Opposition leader of being inconsistent, pointing out that he had initially supported moving forward on areas of constitutional reform where both major political parties agree but later “backtracked” when it appeared that the Government’s plans to make Jamaica a republic were gaining momentum.

It further criticised Golding for what it called his “consistent disrespect” toward Prime Minister Holness and the Office of the Prime Minister, citing several instances of alleged protocol breaches including his refusal to stand for the prime minister’s arrival at the recent swearing-in ceremony at King’s House and similar behaviour at other national and corporate events.

The group described it as “ironic” that Golding is now insisting on direct talks with the prime minister instead of engaging with Minister Chuck, who holds the constitutional affairs portfolio that Golding shadows.

G2K called on the Opposition leader to “desist from his entitled, immature, disrespectful and ostensibly classist approach towards Prime Minister Holness and the Office of the Prime Minister, and to realign his stance towards one which is favourable to making Jamaica a republic as soon as possible”.