Jamaicans At Home & In The Diaspora - Join the Call for MP to Resign/Action Against Gender Based Violence

GROUNDS FOR THE RESIGNATION OF CENTRAL WESTMORELAND,
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, MR. GEORGE WRIGHT
The Jamaica Constabulary Force press release on Friday, April 16, 2021, confirmed that:
1. they had “conducted investigations into a physical altercation between Member of Parliament, George Wright and Businesswoman, Tannisha Singh.”
2. on April 6, 2021, the Member of Parliament and the Businesswoman had “made independent reports of a physical altercation that took place on that day, at different police stations.
3. That the police “escorted her to a medical facility to ensure she received treatment”
4. Mr. Wright “was asked to seek medical attention”
What the police was not in a position to confirm is IF that incident was in fact the same as the one caught on footage. Their release indicated that this was due to the poor quality of the footage, the refusal of the businesswoman to press charges and for witnesses of the altercation to come forward. However, the statement of the police did indicate that the Member of Parliament, a member of our law making body, the Legislature, was physically engaged in an altercation with a woman that resulted in her being taken to the hospital by the police. That is unacceptable.
The Jamaica Labour Party press release also on Friday, April 26, 2021 indicated that
1. Member of Parliament George Wright met with the General Secretary of the Party who “advised that Mr. Wright had not shared any information regarding the video circulating in the public domain.
2. Mr. Wright did “acknowledge that allegations made against him were of a serious nature and were causing grave concerns for his role as a parliamentary representative inconsistent with the principles, policies and positions of the Government and Party.”
THE CONCERN
1. The release confirmed that the MP understands the severity of the allegations BUT is not willing to answer questions pertaining to the footage, put to him by the party of which he is a member.
2. Despite his vow to “conscientiously impartially discharge [his] responsibilities to the people of Jamaica”, he is also not willing to answer the question put to him by the Jamaican public - those who have hired him, those who finance his salary, those he is required to serve. The question MP Wright refuses to answer is simply – Are you the man in the video?
It is Mr. Wright’s duty to respond. He has failed to pay respect and regard due to his colleagues in the House, and the people of Jamaica. He has chosen silence while his community, his constituency, his country, has been brought in to disrepute, demonstrating that Mr. Wright is not fit to serve and cannot be trusted to make the best decisions on the people’s behalf and cannot speak for us.
Finally, the Jamaica Labour Party, by its own actions required that Mr. Wright “withdraw from the Government Parliamentary Caucus in light of the unresolved allegations”. That effectively made him an “independent member” of Parliament and can be read as the Party’s admission that Mr. Wright has engaged in behavior that requires sanctions. Those sanctions are not enough. On these grounds the call is being made for the resignation of Mr. George Wright with IMMEDIATE EFFECT.