JLP blasts PNP for ‘barefaced hypocrisy’ re ‘Mama D’s selection

The governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has rejected concerns that have been raised by the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) about Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert's announced candidacy in the upcoming by-election in South Trelawny as ‘another clear act of brazen and barefaced hypocrisy which has characterized the Mark Golding-led Party and Dayton Campbell-led secretariat’.

In a release on Thursday, the JLP said its Deputy General Secretary, Senator Charles Sinclair, an attorney, said the party believes in the presumption of innocence, which is a fundamental pillar of Jamaica's legal system.

Sinclair said additionally, the JLP is careful about its selection of candidates, in particular those who may have matters which are in court.

However, Sinclair said the extenuating circumstance of Dalrymple-Philibert, in that ‘she genuinely forgot to include in her declarations a vehicle which she did not use regularly’, along with the overwhelming demand in the constituency for her to return, were taken into consideration in the decision to select her as the party's candidate.

Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert 

Sinclair has called out the PNP and ‘their surrogates in civil society for brazen and barefaced hypocrisy in their expression of concern about Mrs Dalrymple-Philibert's impending candidacy, given the party's (PNP) inaction and failure to disrupt the status quo or voice concern regarding several matters including (the following’:

1. The Integrity Commission's decision to charge PNP Vice President, PAAC Chairman, and North West Manchester Member of Parliament (MP), Mikael Phillips

2. The referral by an anti-corruption agency of PNP Vice President, Ian Hayles, who is one of the PNP caretaker candidates, to the police for a criminal investigation.

3. The conviction of PNP candidate Dwayne Vaz for breaching the Integrity Commission Act.

4. Criminal charges which were laid on Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay, Michael Troupe

5. Criminal charges which were laid on Councillor Sylvian Reid.

6. Failure to take action concerning PNP bigwig, Jolyan Silvera, who ‘remains a PNP member despite being before the court accused of the brutal murder of his wife’.

7. East Kingston MP Phillip Paulwell's conviction for a breach of the Firearms Act.

8. PNP candidate and convicted international cocaine smuggler Isat Buchanan's candidacy in East Portland

Sinclair said it is noteworthy and reflective of sheer hypocrisy that the PNP, which now professes to be concerned about Mrs Dalrymple-Philibert's candidacy, has not taken action in any of the above instances to remove any of the individuals mentioned from their positions or withdrawn their candidacy.

Sinclair said the JLP has also taken careful note of commentary that has made by the National Integrity Action (NIA) in the print media about Dalrymple-Philibert.

The party said the NIA was for the most part silent on the aforementioned issues concerning the PNP, including the recent matter of Mikael Phillips' status as MP and his chairmanship of the PAAC, despite the decision to lay a criminal charge on Phillips.