KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The leader of the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP), Mark Golding, says the party has filed a lawsuit in the constitutional court to strike down a bill to establish a 15th parish.
The bill to make the town of Portmore the 15th parish was recently passed in the upper and lower houses of parliament.
In his contribution to Thursday’s 2025/26 budget debate, Golding said the move is unconstitutional and will give the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) a political advantage.
If the bill becomes law, the opposition has vowed to take legal action and protest in the streets. According to Golding, the lawsuit was filed on Wednesday.
“We regard the pursuit of this legislation as a dangerous affront to Jamaica’s democracy, which must be vigorously resisted,” he said.
He also expressed concern that Jamaica’s democracy is at risk as the governing JLP states that the PNP should not be allowed back in power.
Golding also reiterated that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Government cannot claim paternity for the fiscal discipline the country now enjoys, which has resulted in the debt-to-GDP ratio being set to fall below 70 percent at the end of this month.
Golding asserted that the opposition party set Jamaica on its current path, having done the “heavy lifting” in Government between 2012 and 2016.
Concerning plans for the education sector under a PNP government, Golding said the PNP would ensure that teachers receive reductions in their student debt and motor vehicle concessions at levels that increase with their years of service.
He also said teachers will benefit from “enhanced access” to National Housing Trust (NHT) loans and will be given priority in housing allocations in NHT-funded schemes.
Golding said a future PNP-led government would also remove all taxes on laptops and tablets for students and teachers and negotiate package deals to provide teachers with free internet service as a tool of their trade.
According to him, data shows that the Jamaican economy’s productivity has been in long-term decline, with most of the country’s workforce in low-skilled and low-paying jobs.
“The next PNP government will reinvigorate Jamaica’s systems of skill training and certification,” he said.
The opposition leader also declared that Reggae superstar Bob Marley and cultural icon Louise Bennett-Coverley would be made national heroes if the PNP forms the Government after the next general election, which is constitutionally due by September.
Golding said making Marley and Bennett-Cloverley national heroes “will be a priority when we form the government.”
“We will confer the Order of National Hero on the Honourable Louise Bennett-Cloverley, making her our second female National Heroine.”
He also said that as Jamaica cements the spirit of the iconic global anthem, ‘One LoLove, ‘ the PNP-led Government will also commemorate the significance of “the fi wi” language in expressions and identity.
Concerning the crime rate, Golding credited the opposition’s refusal to support the extension of States of Emergency, in part for the recent decline in the country’s murder rate.
In his contribution to the Budget Debate, he asserted that the 30 percent reduction in the number of murders so far this year, compared with 2024, is indicative of the effectiveness of targeted policing strategies over what he termed the ineffective States of Emergency.
He, however, said while the parliamentary opposition welcomes the recent decline in murders, the homicide rate remains alarmingly high.
He said a future PNP-led Government would adopt a balanced approach to tackling the root causes of crime, including a public health approach to violence prevention, pre-charge detention of suspects, and social transformation initiatives.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness is due to contribute to the budget debate on Thursday, and Finance Minister Fayval Williams is due to close the debate next Tuesday.
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