Opposition leader renews call for 'illicit six' to be named

Opposition Leader Mark Golding is making a fresh call for the six parliamentarians under investigation for illicit enrichment to be named, or for those persons to come forward.

He was addressing the People's National Party's (PNP) National Executive Council meeting at the Albert Town High School in Trelawny on Sunday.

"I have been calling on the prime minister to disclose who those persons are, so that appropriate action can be taken by them, or by him if they are not willing to do so, to step back until those matters are finally resolved. Thus far, we have heard nothing from him on the matter, apart from a vague comment that he has asked far and wide and hasn't heard anything," said Golding.

"I therefore use this opportunity to repeat the call to the prime minister to disclose who these six persons are, and to each and every one of them to do so if the prime minister is not willing to do so, and to do the right thing and to step back from whatever positions you hold until your names are either cleared or otherwise through due process," Golding added.

Holness in August stated that he hasn't received indication of any in his political party being linked to illicit enrichment investigations.

The PNP has also stated that none of its members of parliament or senators have been approached by the Integrity Commission regarding its investigation into parliamentarians for illicit enrichment.

Golding's renewed call for Holness to speak up comes mere days after former House Speaker Marissa Dalrymple-Philibert resigned from that post and from her position as Member of Parliament for Trelawny Southern, following a ruling by the Integrity Commission that she should be charged for allegedly making false statements on her statutory declarations.

Commenting on Dalrymple-Philibert's resignation from her positions, Golding said that it was an indicator that integrity had been upheld in the Jamaican Parliament.

- Christopher Thomas

Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.