Opposition calls for Foreign Minister’s resignation
Lisa Hanna, the Foreign Affairs spokesperson for the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP), has called for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith following Jamaica’s absence from the recent United Nations vote on a “humanitarian truce” in the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of Israel’s war with Hamas.
Hanna, speaking to Radio Jamaica, claimed the Andrew Holness administration “continues to hide behind a cloak of mystery in relation to Israel.”
She claims that missing the vote on humanitarian help goes against who Jamaicans are as a people.
“This particular resolution was simply asking for one thing: to protect human rights and legality; to grant a humanitarian ceasefire to assist the people during this difficult time.” We also did not vote for it. “We had gone missing,” she explained.
“I’m not sure how you have that on your hands. And, to be honest, I believe the minister should do the honourable thing. If you can miss such an important vote, you might not need to be the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. “I’m calling on her to resign because of this,” Hanna said.
According to the administration, Jamaica’s representative did not vote due to a technological glitch in communication.
