Pearnel Charles Jr.: No Room For Divided Loyalties for Opposition Leader

Member of Parliament for South East Clarendon, Pearnel Charles Jr., is calling on Opposition leader, Mark Golding, to answer what he’s describing as serious questions regarding his dual citizenship.

In a statement on Monday, the labour and social security minister says Mark Golding has shown a reluctance to fully commit to Jamaica.

Chevon Campbell tells us more.

As the furore surrounding Opposition Leader, Mark Golding’s British Citizenship continues, another JLP MP and cabinet minister is weighing in.

Mr. Charles Jr. is insisting that the PNP president explain a series of misleading statements he made concerning what he dubs the split loyalty fiasco.

The South East Clarendon MP says the PNP president should also indicate why it took him so long to publicly confirm his citizenship status.

Mr. Charles Junior says the country should also be told when Mr. Golding first acquired a Jamaican passport, when he first applied for a US visitor’s visa and when he first applied for a UK visitor’s visa.

Mr. Charles Junior says the Opposition leader during an interview a few months ago specifically mentioned having a British passport as a child and indicated that he did not maintain it.

He’s calling on Mr. Golding to respond to suggestions that he misled Jamaicans by not admitting that he still had a British passport as an adult.

He says the impression was given that Mr. Golding only held a Jamaican passport and travelled using visitor’s visas to the US and UK.

Mr. Charles Junior asks Mr. Golding if he will renounce his British citizenship and resign. He believes the Opposition leader is reluctant to commit to Jamaica and has lost the trust of the Jamaican people.