Robert Montague Resigns From the Holness-led Cabinet

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Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, and JLP chairman, Robert Montague, has resigned from the Andrew Holness-led Cabinet.

Montague’s resignation comes days after a damning draft report from the Integrity Commission accusing him of knowingly granting firearm licenses on appeals to persons with criminal antecedents while he was Minister of National Security.

This is despite the applications being rejected by the FLA board.

In a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister a short while ago, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said he met with Mr. Montague who tendered his resignation with immediate effect.

According to the prime minister, Mr. Montague expressed that it was a privilege to have had the “opportunity to serve at the highest levels of government.”

TalkUpDiTingsDem News sources say Prime Minister Andrew Holness came to the conclusion that Mr. Montague’s position as a member of the executive had become untenable.

The Prime Minister is believed to have been particularly concerned about the findings of the Integrity Commission Report in light of the recent Get The Guns campaign launched by the government.

Robert Montague is the Member of Parliament for Western St. Mary.

Montague was first elected to the powerful post of party chairman in 2012.

Shortly after the Labour Party won the 2016 General Elections, he was appointed the country’s National Security Minister but was shifted to the Ministry of Transport and Works in 2018.

A series of scandals plagued both Ministries, including the FLA scandal, the AAJ/First Rock Controversy, and most recently the Caribbean Alumina Production, CAP, scandal. 

Montague was eventually stripped of portfolio responsibility and assigned to the Office of the Prime Minister at the start of the year.

It’s not immediately clear whether Mr. Montague will continue as party chairman.