( L - R ) Bunting, Holness

OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN on National Security Peter Bunting on Tuesday ruffled the feathers of members of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), suggesting that it has failed to break its association with gunmen.

Bunting also levelled the criticism against his own People's National Party (PNP).

Pointing to the MacMillan Report, which recommended that political parties disassociate themselves from criminal gangs, Bunting said that both parties have failed to give a clear impression of any such move.

"In the last year, we had a number of incidents which would certainly suggest to the public that little headway is being made in this regard," Bunting, who is also member of parliament for Central Manchester and general secretary of the PNP, said.

Shooting at conference

The opposition member pulled on the example of the shooting death of David Lindsay, 35, of Lizard Town, west Kingston, at the JLP's 65th annual conference at the National Stadium last November.

"The most alarming, perhaps, was the fatal shooting incident at the National Arena during the JLP's annual party conference, where it is alleged that competing gang members providing security backstage got into a shoot-out," Bunting said.

According to the opposition spokesman, the "example is not raised with any holier-than-thou attitude because criminals gangs associate themselves with both political parties for their own benefit, but it should be a wake-up call to the entire society".

Bunting, however, neglected to cite examples of his party's ties with gunmen.

Both major political parties have had a history of links with criminals. Researchers have labelled 13 of the country's 60 constituencies as garrisons, which are normally identified with political violence and overwhelming support of one political party.

JLP members were adamant that Bunting should not have made the statement about gunmen being used to provide security at its conference.

East St Andrew MP St Aubyn Bartlett and North East St Catherine MP Gregory Mair demanded that Bunting withdraw the statement.

Leader of Government Business Andrew Holness searched through the Standing Orders, apparently looking for a grounds to get Bunting to withdraw. He found none and later used his position of House leader to 'set the record straight'.

Innuendoes

"We on this side are very concerned about certain innuendoes that he made," Holness said.

He added: "The conference of the Jamaica Labour Party that he alluded to was secured by private registered security companies. No gangs were used to secure the conference."

The JLP had mandated attorney-at-law George Soutar to conduct an investigation of the shooting incident, the outcome of which has not been made public.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com