McNeill decries silence of ECJ as political ombudsman over defacing, removal of political posters
Published:Friday | April 25, 2025 | 12:42 AM
Chairman of the opposition People’s National Party’s (PNP) Region 1, Dr Wykeham McNeill, has raised concern over the silence of Jamaica’s political ombudsman amid ongoing tensions surrounding the defacing and removal of political posters.
Speaking on Sunday at the campaign launch for Dr Kenneth Russell, the PNP’s prospective candidate for St Ann South Eastern, McNeill highlighted what he described as a growing issue affecting candidates in several constituencies, including in St Ann and Trelawny, the parishes falling in his region.
“I have noticed a troubling thing that is happening. They’ve started to deface posters in some of the constituencies. They’re defacing posters in Danishka’s constituency. They’re doing it with Paul Patmore,” McNeill said, addressing party supporters.
Danishka Williams is the party's prospective candidate for St Ann South Western , while Paul Patmore is set to contest Trelawny Southern.
McNeill also criticised the St James Municipal Corporation for allegedly removing PNP campaign materials, a move PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell has denounced as illegal. The PNP has since threatened legal action in response.
“That is wrong, Comrades. We’re in an election period now and they seem to be using the State to try and control us. But Comrades, I want to tell you, as far as I see it, that is a type of gully politics. It’s a type of politics that comes because of desperation. Them ‘fraid of PNP so now them a resort to other things,” McNeill charged.
McNeill also condemned the Government’s decision to subsume the Office of the Political Ombudsman into the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) in February 2024. Critics argue that the consolidation has weakened oversight and accountability mechanisms of political activities.
“They move the office of the political ombudsman so we don’t even really have the mechanism with which that we need to resolve these matters but them have to resolve. Because those who were around in the 70s and early 80s know what will happen. If you don’t know your past, you’ll make the same mistakes in your future,” McNeill cautioned.
On Thursday, Justice Minister Delroy Chuck told Radio Jamaica that he was disappointed by the ECJ’s silence on aspects of its role as the political ombudsman.
"I am a little disappointed, however, that up to now the ECJ has not indicated to the public the process and procedure whereby political misconduct can be reported and investigated. To the best of my knowledge, the similar amount of money of about $60 million that used to manage and operate the political ombudsman before was allocated to the ECJ in order to carry out the function and role of the political ombudsman," he said.
"The ECJ could appoint a director of political conduct... who would take in all the complaints of political misconduct or breach of the political code of conduct, and that person would investigate and report back to the ECJ, which consists of four independent members and representatives from the political parties, who would make a final decision and direct how the political misconduct can be corrected. It would have that sort of moral persuasive force," he said.