George Wright – Six Months of Silence – UNACCEPTABLE!

It is now six (6) months since Member of Parliament (MP) George Wright and Tannisha Singh made independent reports of a “physical altercation” to the police on April 6, 2021. Shortly after the reports, a video was circulated showing a vicious battering of a woman by a man. Members of the Advocates Network find it UNACCEPTABLE that, to date, MP Wright has chosen to remain silent rather than to unequivocally state that he was not the man in the video.

Many continue to question MP Wright’s integrity, honesty and suitability to sit in Parliament as the people’s representative. On 29 July 2021, the Advocates Network hand delivered to the Houses of Parliament , an Open Letter to George Wright asking him to resign as MP. A copy was emailed to his Constituency office (mpwestmorelancentral@gmail.com) on July 30, and one sent via the post office on the same day.  There has been NO RESPONSE to date.   

We remain troubled that MP Wright cannot categorically state that he is not the man in the video and that he ignores public appeals to do the honourable thing to resign as MP. We are also disappointed that the newly celebrated majority of Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) women MPs and Senators did not see it fit to demand an unequivocal denial from him – as a minimum standard of moral responsibility.   

Much has happened over the past six months! As the COVID-19 pandemic has become more acute, the ‘hidden epidemic’ of domestic violence has also worsened, creating tremendous physical, mental and economic impacts. This has fostered growing discontent and consternation as the public witnesses a systemic process that appears to be unfair, unjust and to favour a privileged few. 

We call on Parliamentarians to debate and vote on the Motion of Suspension tabled in Parliament by MP Anthony Hylton on April 13, 2021. A historic bipartisan vote, reflecting the power of the new JLP majority of women MPs, can send a profound and necessary message to Jamaicans that the system is not rigged in the interest of the most powerful. Such a vote would demonstrate that there is still a moral compass guiding Parliamentarians. Such a signal is URGENTLY needed! It is not too late to do the right thing!