PSOJ urges Holness to remove Wheatley as PNPYO demands TCN deal disclosure

Pressure on Prime Minister Andrew Holness to remove Dr. Andrew Wheatley from ministerial duties grew on Thursday when the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) added its voice to churches and other groups demanding action after the Integrity Commission found he should face charges linked to alleged illicit enrichment and related offences.

Wheatley serves as minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister. In a statement, the PSOJ said he should be removed from that role until the matter is fully and conclusively resolved. The group argued that doing so would help preserve public confidence, protect the integrity of the office, and reinforce the strength of Jamaica’s governance framework.

The organisation said allegations of this nature are of significant public interest and underscored the need for strong institutions and effective oversight. It added that confidence in governance is reinforced when public accountability matters are handled through credible, independent, and transparent processes. While advocating the highest standards of governance, transparency, accountability, and integrity in both the public and private sectors, the PSOJ also stressed respect for the Integrity Commission and broader legal and constitutional processes, including the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Separately, the People’s National Party Youth Organisation called on Friday for the government to immediately publish the full details of the reported third-country nationals arrangement with the United States. In a press release, the group said that as Jamaica faces challenges in healthcare, housing, crime, youth unemployment, and economic insecurity, young people have a right to know why the government is pursuing an agreement that could carry significant legal, financial, and social implications.

The PNPYO described the issue as one of transparency, accountability, and good governance rather than partisanship. It noted that the government has repeatedly said the United States would bear all associated costs, and argued there should be no hesitation in publishing the agreement and related documents if that is the case. The group said initial government responses dismissed legitimate concerns raised by the opposition and the public, and that later developments reinforced the need for full disclosure.

The organisation also questioned whether Jamaica should assume risks tied to another country’s immigration policies without a clear, transparent, and demonstrable benefit to Jamaicans, and raised concerns about potential legal liabilities if United States courts determine the arrangement breaches US law. It called for publication of the full arrangement, disclosure of all legal and financial implications, and a parliamentary debate, asking who authorised the deal, what obligations Jamaica accepted, what safeguards exist, what legal advice was obtained, and what the long-term implications are.

In St. Mary, the Court of Appeal on Wednesday ordered the release of 52-year-old farmer Cicious Edwards after overturning his conviction in a mob killing from 2014. Prosecutors had said Edwards was part of a crowd that attacked and chopped to death James Brown along the Woodside main road. Residents had accused Brown of raping a woman in Woodside and stealing items from a church. The crown relied on testimony from the victim’s brother, who said he saw a large mob and Edwards with a machete in his hand. Edwards told investigators he was at the scene but did not inflict chop wounds. He had been found guilty and sentenced to 22 years in prison.

During the appeal, his attorneys argued the case should have been dismissed on no-case submissions, saying there was insufficient evidence linking him to the killing and that it was not unusual for farmers in the community to carry machetes. The court agreed and ordered his release. Stanford Ellis, another man charged and convicted in the case, died in prison eight months ago.