Opposition walks out after Holness no-confidence motion blocked

The parliamentary Opposition on Tuesday staged a walkout of the House of Representatives after Deputy Speaker Heroy Clarke blocked attempts by Opposition Leader Mark Golding to move a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

The motion accuses Holness of failing to inform Jamaicans that he was under probe by the Integrity Commission (IC) for illicit enrichment.

“The Prime Minister did not inform the people of Jamaica that he was being investigated by the Integrity Commission,” Golding said before he was abruptly cut-off by Clarke.

At this point, the Member of Parliament for Clarendon South Eastern, Pearnel Charles Jr, rose to his feet and declared: “I don’t even need to hear another word”.

Continuing, Charles Jr said: "If it is that the member intends to travel down a road that is going to breach the standing orders, in raising matters that are sub judice (before the court), that cannot be accommodated in this House. If that is the intention, stop now”.

Clarke who was deputising for Juliet Holness, the prime minister’s wife, quoted from section 22 of the standing orders as he prevented Golding from continuing. Based on the section, he declared the motion “out of order”.

But the Opposition leader attempted to continue, telling Clarke he was not aware that the matter was sub judice.

“What this motion engages, is simply a matter of a breach of the ministerial code of conduct by the prime minister ...,” said Golding before he was shut down for a final time by Clarke.

Golding then led a walkout of Opposition members who were jeered by their government colleagues as they exited the chamber.

Golding’s motion accuses the prime minister of breaching the Ministerial Code of Conduct. At a press conference on September 18, the day after the damning IC report was tabled in the Parliament, Golding urged Holness to resign, pointing out that his statutory declarations remain uncertified by the IC.

The Opposition leader also noted that the IC had asked the Financial Investigations Division to further probe the prime minister’s business dealings and has asked Tax Administration Jamaica to look at the nil tax returns filed by several companies affiliated with Holness and through which hundreds of millions of dollars have passed.