KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a blistering critique delivered during the 2026/27 Budget Debate at Gordon House, Opposition Leader Mark Golding declared that Jamaica’s path out of “chronic economic lethargy” must be built upon unwavering integrity and governmental transparency. The People’s National Party (PNP) leader positioned ethical governance as the fundamental prerequisite for national progress.
Golding launched a direct assault on Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s credibility, accusing him of orchestrating a “shameful deception” regarding substantial salary increases. The opposition leader revealed that despite publicly renouncing the pay raise following its announcement by Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke in May 2023, the prime minister quietly accepted the increased compensation effective September 2025—immediately following the general election.
“This is the latest chop! A real brogad move,” Golding stated, addressing Holness directly in the parliamentary chamber. “It was a shameful deception, not worthy of the high office you hold.”
The opposition leader framed the incident as symptomatic of broader governance failures, citing a culture where “impunity rules the roost” and officials face no consequences for transgressions. Golding emphasized the urgent need to strengthen Jamaica’s accountability institutions, specifically calling for enhanced powers for the Integrity Commission and Financial Investigations Division.
Golding challenged the government’s commitment to anti-corruption measures, questioning why the administration abandoned previously agreed-upon reforms including Unexplained Wealth Orders—legislative tools that would empower law enforcement to seize illegally obtained assets. He further demanded progress on impeachment procedures for parliamentarians and recall mechanisms for underperforming elected representatives, initiatives originally proposed by former JLP Prime Minister Bruce Golding in 2011 and updated through Golding’s own Private Member’s Bill in 2021.
In contrast to the current administration’s practices, Golding highlighted that PNP leadership had formally signed the Integrity Commission’s Leadership Code of Conduct, binding themselves to higher standards of accountability. He concluded that Jamaica cannot build a prosperous nation on “weak and wobbly ethical foundations,” positioning his party as committed to substantive governance reforms that would ensure true public service accountability.