In this file photo, Prime Minister Andrew Holness speaks at the official opening ceremony of Adam & Eve Day Spa.
The Integrity Commission (IC) says it has nearly completed proceedings relating to the statutory declaration of Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
The IC is yet to certify the Prime Minister’s declaration for 2021, which has implications for subsequent years.
The commission’s chair, former judge Seymour Panton, addressed the issue in the commission’s 2023/24 annual report, tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. He acknowledged that “much has been written and said about the failure to authenticate the Prime Minister’s statutory affidavit.”
Panton also pointed out that the Integrity Commission Act makes special provision for the statutory affidavits of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition (Mark Golding), who are the only two to have their certified affidavits published in summary form.
The IC Chairman also pointed out the challenges facing the Commission. He said the Director of Information and Complaints has to examine the declarations and if he is satisfied that the declarations have been properly filled out he has to report back to the Commission.
“Once so notified, the Commission will publish a summary of the declaration in the format prescribed in the Third Schedule to the Act. It should be remembered that the Director of Information and Complaints will ‘make such investigations as may be necessary’ to ensure that the statutory declaration has been properly completed. The investigations will be aimed at determining accuracy,” Panton said.
“Given the limitations imposed by this Act on statutory declarations generally and related matters, we can only say that the committee’s process on the Prime Minister’s declaration is nearing completion,” Panton added.
The Opposition Leader has repeatedly accused the Prime Minister’s statutory affidavits of not being authenticated for over two years.
In a public debate in May over Golding’s dual Jamaican-British citizenship, Holness said his dual citizenship was incurable, even if Golding renounced his citizenship, but Golding hit back, arguing that Holness’ unauthenticated declaration made him unfit to be prime minister.
