Holness take the political high ground, praises Valrie Curtis but no apology or withdrawal of letter
On April 23, 2024, the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Jamaica, Juliet Holness, paid tribute to Valrie Curtis, the former Clerk to the Houses of Parliament. Curtis had retired under a cloud on April 6, due to a public letter of reprimand she received from Holness, a week before her retirement. The letter allegedly condemned her for not adhering to Holness’ instructions concerning how reports from Auditor General’s Department should be presented in Parliament.
Holness maintains his stance, lauding Valrie Curtis with effusive praise. Yet, he audaciously holds back any semblance of an apology or retraction regarding the controversial letter, even as cries of disrespect by Juliet Holness echo throughout the political sphere.
Despite this, Curtis maintained that she fully complied with the speaker’s directives. She has remained somewhat detached, choosing not to be present in Parliament for the tributes. Opposition members have generally withheld their tributes in her absence and have urged Holness to withdraw her letter and apologize.
Many contend that the unity between Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Speaker of the House Juliet Holness on this matter serves as a clear example of a conflict of interest. Critics suggest that the Prime Minister’s handling of the matter would undoubtedly differ if he weren’t so cozily aligned with the House Speaker—especially given that she is his wife.
However, during the tribute, Holness neither apologized nor retracted the letter. Instead, she honored Curtis for her significant service in Parliament. Curtis started her journey as an assistant clerk in 1995, before becoming a deputy clerk in 2006, and finally, taking up the office of the clerk to the houses in 2021. During her tenure, Curtis was instrumental in staging international parliamentary conferences in Jamaica, she represented the country at global parliamentary conferences, and was dedicated to modernizing parliamentary operations.
Holness ensured to acknowledge Curtis’s contributions and commended her work despite their disagreements. Curtis, she added, had left a significant mark and wished her a well-deserved retirement.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Leader of Government Business in the House, Edmund Bartlett and MP for St Catherine South West, Everald Warmington, also paid their tributes to Curtis. According to the Leader of Opposition Business, Phillip Paulwell, the Opposition members were prepared to pay tribute if/when Curtis decides to make an appearance.
The Government of Jamaica acknowledged Ms. Curtis’s contributions by bequeathing her the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service and the Order of Distinction (Commander Rank) in 2014 and 2020, respectively.