KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a charged press briefing held Thursday, Mark Golding, leader of Jamaica’s main opposition People’s National Party (PNP), has publicly stated that none of the party’s sitting Members of Parliament or senators are under active investigation for illicit enrichment by the country’s Integrity Commission (IC), based on all information available to him.
Golding’s confirmation of the PNP’s clean record came as he amplified his public call for embattled Cabinet minister Dr Andrew Wheatley to step down immediately. The demand follows the tabling of a damning IC investigative report in Jamaica’s Parliament Wednesday, which formally recommended criminal charges of illicit enrichment against Wheatley, the sitting MP for St Catherine South Central.
The IC’s probe concluded that Wheatley holds total assets worth approximately J$164 million that far outpace his documented lawful income, and that he failed to provide a credible, satisfactory explanation for the massive gap between his earnings and his accumulated wealth. Wheatley has forcefully pushed back against the report’s conclusions, releasing a lengthy public statement that accuses inquiry leaders of ignoring key exculpatory evidence that he argues would have completely changed the investigation’s final outcome.
Speaking to journalists Thursday, Golding said his confidence in his party’s lack of ongoing probes stems from both prior guidance provided by IC representatives serving on the parliamentary Integrity Commission Oversight Committee, and direct one-on-one questioning he conducted with every PNP lawmaker. He explained that standard investigative practice means any public official under active investigation for illicit enrichment would already have been contacted by the IC and asked to submit additional documentation to verify their asset declarations, meaning any lawmaker under probe would be aware of the process.
Golding recalled that after annual IC disclosures revealed multiple public officials were facing illicit enrichment investigations, he personally polled all PNP MPs and senators. When the first annual report confirmed six public officials were under investigation, and a follow-up report raised that number to eight, Golding said he asked each PNP legislator directly about whether they were part of the probe pool.
“Every single one of our members gave me the same answer. None told me they were the subject of an illicit enrichment investigation, and they all knew I was asking so I could give the Jamaican public a clear, accurate account of where the PNP stands on this issue,” Golding added.
Golding’s remarks capped an opposition push to force the government’s hand on Wheatley’s future, renewing the PNP’s demand that either Wheatley resign voluntarily from Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ Cabinet, or that Holness dismisses him immediately. “The prime minister has the full authority to remove him right now, and I have no doubt he is weighing his next steps,” Golding noted.
The opposition leader stressed that the controversy extends far beyond personal political loyalties, and goes straight to the core of Jamaica’s international reputation and the standards of public governance the country upholds. “What matters most is Jamaica’s standing, both at home and abroad, and our commitment to upholding the rule of law and basic decency in public office,” Golding said. “The prime minister has a clear responsibility to lead on this issue. He cannot keep a member of Cabinet who faces serious confirmed illicit enrichment findings.”
Golding also noted that the opposition is rallying support from civil society and other Jamaican organizations to back its demand, and will continue pressing for action until what he calls a Jamaica-positive outcome is reached. “We will keep agitating for this until we get the result that is best for our country,” he said.
In addition, Golding brought up the separate ongoing investigation into Prime Minister Holness himself, pointing out that the IC previously referred findings related to Holness’ statutory asset declarations to the Financial Investigations Division (FID) for further review. He argued that this context, which already raises questions about executive accountability, makes decisive action on Wheatley’s position even more urgent.
“We hope that all right-minded Jamaicans, and every organization that cares about national development and good governance, will add their pressure to the government to do the right thing here,” Golding added.