Opposition Leader Calls for Wheatley's Removal After IC Report Recommends Charges for Illicit Enrichment

Opposition Leader Mark Golding is calling for the immediate removal of Dr Andrew Wheatley from his position as minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, following the tabling of an Integrity Commission (IC) Investigation Report recommending multiple charges against him.

In a statement Wednesday evening, Golding noted that based on that report, the director of corruption prosecution determined that Dr Wheatley is to be charged with four criminal charges, including illicit enrichment, knowingly making false statements in statutory declarations, and failing to provide information to the director of information and complaints as required by law.

"A minister who has been recommended for prosecution on four criminal charges, including the serious offence of illicit enrichment, can't be allowed to remain in the Cabinet of Jamaica. Prime Minister Holness must act immediately. The integrity of our public institutions and the trust of the Jamaican people demand nothing less," said the opposition leader.

The report, completed by the director of investigation on March 20, 2026, and confirmed by the director of corruption prosecution on June 11, 2026, alleges that Wheatley acquired assets disproportionate to his lawful earnings by approximately $164 million over nine years. He was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation when formally required to do so.

Wheatley has maintained his innocence, pointing to what he says is $168 million in real estate earnings that he says weren't taken into consideration by the IC.

Golding also noted that this isn't the first occasion on which serious questions have been raised about Wheatley's conduct in public office. He highlighted that despite his previous ministerial conduct having resulted in his removal from Cabinet for an extended period, Holness chose to reappoint him after the 2025 general election.

The opposition leader said this raises the question of whether Wheatley informed the prime minister of this ongoing IC investigation or kept it from him. Either way, Golding says, the decision to reappoint him to the Cabinet has now been shown to be a grave misjudgment.

"Prime Minister Holness brought Dr Wheatley back into Cabinet, despite the clear warning signs. Good governance isn't a mere slogan, it's a required standard. The prime minister has a duty to uphold that standard, immediately and without hesitation," said Golding.