The members of the Opposition walked out of the Lower House today after Leader Mark Golding failed in his attempt to file a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

The motion pertains to Mr. Holness’ statutory declaration, which was the subject of an Integrity Commission report.

Mr. Golding rose to move the motion but was halted by government member Pearnel Charles Junior, who cautioned that the matter cannot be laid before the House as it is currently in court.

Deputy House Speaker Heroy Clarke also informed Mr. Golding that he would not be allowed to take the motion because it goes against Parliament’s standing orders.

In his defense, Mr. Golding sought to explain that he was unaware of the matter being before the court.

However, the House Speaker still objected, resulting in the walkout.

Meantime, the Opposition People’s National Party has sought to explain that the no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister, which it failed to table, was intended to underscore the pressing need for accountability and ethical governance in Jamaica.

The Opposition members walked out of the Lower House today after Leader Mark Golding was prevented from tabling the motion because the matter is now in court.

The Prime Minister indicated last month that he would be taking legal advice on the Integrity Commission report regarding his statutory declarations to determine the way forward.

It was revealed today that the Prime Minister has filed a claim in the Supreme Court seeking leave to go to the Judicial Review Court to quash the IC report.

In a statement following the walkout, the PNP said the motion cites a serious breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct established in 2002, which mandates transparency and ethical standards from members of the Cabinet.

The Opposition stated that the motion calls for various actions and represents a pivotal moment for democracy, emphasizing that the country must hold leaders accountable to the highest standards of conduct.

The Leader of the Opposition called on all members of Parliament to support this motion as a step toward restoring integrity in Jamaica’s governance.