The Jamaica Labour Party is rejecting concerns raised by the PNP about Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert’s expected candidacy in the upcoming by-election in South Trelawny as another clear act of barefaced hypocrisy which it says has characterized the Mark Golding-led Party.
The PNP had expressed concern about Mrs. Dalrymple’s candidacy given that she’s before the Court for failing to declare ownership of a Mercedes Benz to the Integrity Commission.
Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert has denied intentionally not making the declaration and noted that she rarely used the vehicle in question.
Nora Gaye Banton reports.
In pushing back against the PNP, JLP Deputy General Secretary Charles Sinclair says the JLP believes in the presumption of innocence which is a fundamental underpinning of Jamaica’s legal system.
Senator Sinclair says the Party is careful about its selection of candidates, in particular those who may have matters which are before the Court.
However, Mr. Sinclair says the extenuating circumstance of Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert indicating 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, were taken into consideration in the decision to select her as the Party’s candidate.
Mr. Sinclair is calling out the PNP for what he describes as brazen and barefaced hypocrisy in their expression of concern about Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert’s expected candidacy.
He notes that the PNP has failed to act and disrupt the status quo regarding several of their bigwigs who have had issues with law enforcement and the court.
Mr. Sinclair says the PNP’s hypocrisy in questioning Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert’s expected candidacy is further highlighted by other incidents.
The JLP Deputy General Secretary says the Party also takes careful note of commentary made by National Integrity Action in the print media about Mrs. Dalrymlple-Philibert.
Sinclair says 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 Public Administration and Appropriations Committee, PAAC, despite the decision of the Integrity Commission to lay a criminal charge on Phillips.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert is asserting that she has not committed any criminal wrongdoing despite being before the Court.
She was speaking on Cliff Hughes Online on Thursday.
Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert says she’s returning to the political arena with a clear conscience.
Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, former South Trelawny MP.
