Golding’s turn at the wicket today
Published:Sunday | March 23, 2025 | 9:51 PM
Opposition Leader Mark Golding is expected to outline today the parliamentary Opposition’s plans and proposals for the country should they form the next Government following the general election which is constitutionally due by September this year.
Golding comes to the wicket at a time when many are calling for concrete proposals from the Opposition to manage the economy and stimulate economic growth to move the country forward.
Last week, Opposition Spokesman on Finance Julian Robinson made a raft of recommendations to boost the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises as well as to facilitate increased competition for government deposits in the banking sector. The Government has already sought to pour cold water on a proposal by Robinson to roll out a flat rate bill to pensioners for water.
Keen attention is expected to be paid to Golding’s contribution to the Budget Debate today following an unprecedented walkout by government lawmakers led by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness last year during the opposition leader’s presentation.
It was the first time in independent Jamaica that a Budget Debate presentation was cut short as a result of a walkout by the governing party, leaving the Parliament without a quorum.
The government legislators stormed out of Parliament after Golding raised concern about Member of Parliament for St Andrew East Rural Juliet Holness presiding as Speaker while being the spouse of the head of Government.
“When the former Speaker was forced to resign as a result of an Integrity Commission investigation, the move to replace her with the wife of the prime minister, so that the head of Parliament is now the spouse of the head of Government, does not sit well with the tradition that the Speaker must act independently of the Government of the day,” Golding had said.
Responding, the prime minister was heard in sotto voce remarks saying Golding’s comments were “low and desperate”.
Golding took the balance of his contribution to the Budget Debate to the old Headquarters House next to Parliament.