Integrity Commission welcomes withdrawal of case against it
Published:Tuesday | February 4, 2025 | 9:30 AM
The Integrity Commission has welcomed the withdrawal of the case that was brought against it by Norman Brown, a business partner of Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, although noting that it believes Brown's case would ultimately have been unsuccessful.
In a media release on Tuesday the Commission said Brown's decision "will avoid the Commission incurring costs and expending resources to defend the claim".
Brown had sought judicial review of sections of an Integrity Commission report that questioned his company’s tax compliance and potential conflicts of interest arising from his chairmanship of two state agencies – the Urban Development Corporation and the Housing Agency of Jamaica – that report to Holness.
While the court allowed him to challenge the tax-related findings, it rejected his bid to contest the report’s comments on potential conflicts of interest. The report suggested that the similarities between the two state agencies that Brown chairs and his relationship with the prime minister “pose significant conflict of interest concerns”.
Brown expressed disappointment with the court’s ruling on the conflict of interest issue, which was a central part of his claim.
The withdrawal comes just weeks before the first hearing in his judicial review case, which was scheduled for February 25. The substantive matter would likely have been set for after Holness’ case, which is due to start on October 13.
Brown’s legal challenge stemmed from the IC’s report on Prime Minister Holness’ finances, particularly focusing on the tax filings of Estatebridge Development Limited, a company in which Brown is a shareholder. The report raised concerns about Estatebridge’s interest income in 2021 and its nil tax returns, which were referred to Tax Administration Jamaica.
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