I will not be intimidated by KD Knight’s denial, says Tufton

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says he categorically rejects claims by KD Knight that a recording played at Sunday's Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) mass rally—featuring Knight saying Mark Golding should never be Prime Minister of Jamaica—is fake, doctored, or altered.

The audio clip was played by Tufton, who is the JLP Campaign Committee Chairman, as he made the case for voters to reject Golding, President of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP), and stick with Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and the JLP.

On Monday, Knight issued a statement calling the audio a "malicious fabrication" and threatened to bring a defamation suit against Tufton and the JLP.

“I categorically state that I have never at any time, in any forum, or under any circumstances, made statements suggesting Mark Golding is unfit to be Prime Minister. The recording is clearly altered, and the words are a deliberate concoction designed to deceive the public and tarnish my reputation,” Knight said.

He further described the recording as a "desperate and reckless act of political sabotage" by the JLP, stating that such tactics are not only unethical but potentially criminal.

“Let me be unequivocal: The recording is a lie. Every syllable attributed to me re: Comrade Mark Golding’s unsuitability to be Prime Minister is a lie. This is not mere political gamesmanship; it is a deliberate assault on truth and democratic integrity,” Knight added.

However, Tufton, in his own statement issued late Monday, rejected Knight’s claims, stating that while Knight may find the recording embarrassing, the words are his.

“The tape is 100% genuine. I understand Mr Knight’s embarrassment at the comment he made, but his claim that it was altered is blatantly false. If he wishes to pretend he never said it, that’s on him, but the facts are clear. His words are entirely consistent with sharp criticisms he has previously made of Mark Golding in the public domain.”

Tufton added that on September 3, 2019, Knight was quoted extensively in the national press, blasting Golding—then Chair of the PNP’s Rise United Campaign—for announcing an endowment fund.

“This is just one of numerous occasions where senior PNP members have publicly shared their honest opinions on Mark Golding’s leadership, and Knight’s own words are among the most damning,” charged Tufton.

“I will not be intimidated by Knight’s denial. His own mouth has packed his bags for him. Time come for him to go. He should avoid the very habit he once warned against—being pathologically mendacious—and leave the scene quietly and with some dignity.”

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