‘A betrayal of all women’…PNP criticises JLP on readmission of MP George Wright
Published:Tuesday | February 18, 2025 | 11:35 AM
The decision by the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to readmit George Wright, Member of Parliament (MP) for Westmoreland Central, has been slammed by the main parliamentary Opposition as a betrayal of all women across Jamaica, particularly victims of domestic abuse.
People’s National Party (PNP) chairman Dr Angela Brown Burke has charged that Wright’s near four-year stint as an independent MP was a “JLP deception” and a “big lie”.
Nekeisha Burchell, PNP deputy general secretary, said Wright’s reinstatement is a declaration that politics matters more than justice.
“The JLP did not dismiss George Wright, they just distanced themselves long enough to weather the storm,” Burchell said during a press conference on Tuesday at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition Leader in St Andrew.
The Westmoreland Central MP resigned from the JLP in 2021 after a viral video of a man beating a woman, first with his fist and then with a stool.
He has never publicly denied being the person in the video.
Wright was never charged by the police though he and his common-law partner at the time filed separate complaints at different police stations.
The case was closed after the two did not pursue the complaints.
Wright married the woman after a year of counselling.
Wright has been sitting as an independent member of the House of Representatives, although he said he supports the policies of the JLP administration.
The JLP confirmed Wright’s return on the weekend, citing the mitigating actions he has taken since he stepped away.
However, the PNP said redemption should come after first acknowledging wrong.
“What we are seeing here is the sanitisation of George Wright,” said Gabriela Morris, president of the PNP Youth Organisation.
- Livern Barrett
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