Controversies continue to plague the JLP Administration
The JLP administration’s latest controversy came from a damning report from the Integrity Commission in which minister without portfolio, Robert Montague, granted gun licenses to six people with criminal history during his time as security minister from March 2016-2018. Montague overruled the FLA’s decisions to deny or revoke the gun licenses of those with criminal history.
In one case, a man who is allegedly a gang member, lottery scammer and possessor of an illegal firearm was granted a license. In another case, a person who breached the Firearms Act and committed other offences was granted a gun license even after having it revoked by the FLA on two previous occasions. The former minister also approved the license of a person who was charged with gun and drug offences and to another who committed insurance fraud.
Montague resigned from Cabinet last Friday following the report.
The trail of controversy goes back to January when Montague was removed as Minister of Transport and Mining following the scandals of the Airports Authority of Jamaica, First Rock Capital Holdings, and Clarendon Alumina Production.
In December of last year, it also came to light that Montague’s former adviser was hired as head of Toll Authority despite not meeting the basic requirements for the job.
Caught up in the web of controversies last year were minister without portfolio, Floyd Green and MP George Wright. Green breached the Disaster Risk Management Act as he was in attendance of a party held on a ‘no-movement day’. Again, just last week, Green and other Ministers came under fire after a photograph emerged of them disregarding covid-19 restrictions at the Shenseea album launch party. Of all the ministers in attendance, only State Minister, Alando Terrelonge and Entertainment Minister, Olivia Grange were photographed wearing masks. Meanwhile, Wright was at the center of public disgrace last year after the video of the beating of a woman came to light.
In light of the more recent controversies, it is clear that many Jamaicans are not pleased with the conduct and performance of the JLP administration. Still, it is yet to be known if the JLP will still out favour the PNP in voter support. In the last Don Anderson poll done from August 3 to September 3 last year, it was found that more people will vote for the JLP rather than the PNP. However, the vast majority of the respondents indicated that were not sure which party they would vote for or that they would not vote.
