Government Proactive in Dealing with Issues of Accountability & Transparency – PM Holness

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government is very ardent in developing and maintaining an anti-corruption framework.

The Prime Minister said based on issues emerging at Petrojam, he has engaged in a “process of discovery”.

Prime Minister Holness was responding to questions posed by journalists this morning (July 10) following a personal presentation to the family of young Tahj Rowe.

“We are still discovering, still interviewing persons, yesterday I had a long meeting with the senior management and staff of the Energy Division and Petrojam and we are working toward discovery – if there are other issues to be addressed,” said Prime Minister Holness.

The Prime Minister reminded journalists and the public that the process of investigation must take place in order to ensure justice.

“The balance that we have struck, is to ensure that we as quickly as possible investigate, discover, call to account, ask for reports and act on that because at the end of the day, the public has to be

assured that we act on information that is factual information, that has basis in truth,” stated Prime Minister Holness.

Responding to further questions from journalists, Prime Minister Holness said the Opposition would do a great disservice to the people of Jamaica if they were to not cooperate on national issues with Government.

“I think the country moves forward with the Opposition and the Government drawing out areas where they can cooperate, where they can agree on because in modern politics, a level of maturity has to be exhibited, not everything should be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency,” said Prime Minister Holness.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Holness said the Government is here to serve the people for the long term.

“In the long ‘game’, it will be shown that the Government acted with integrity, that there was no attempt to cover up anything, that the Government followed a process and that justice at the end of the day will be done; that the public purse will be protected and that the Government will be stronger and more efficient. As I’ve said, we have immediately acted, we have made certain policy changes that will not just affect Petrojam but generally to improve the operations and governance of public bodies,” stressed Prime Minister Holness.