Jamaicans call on PNP MP Dennis Gordon to resign over UHWI tax misuse

Jamaica: People are urging the People’s National Party (PNP) MP Dennis Gordon to resign from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), after the disclosures that his company, JACDEN Limited is being benefited from the misuse of tax-exempt status at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). 

Reportedly, this issue or incident was formally brought to light by the Auditor General’s Department through a report tabled on January 13, 2026, which highlighted the inappropriate use of University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) status and money.

Following which on March 31, 2026, during the meeting of PAC, the acting CEO of UHWI, Eric Hosin, named Gordon’s JACDEN Limited as one of four private companies that used the hospital’s tax exemption to import goods for their companies and factories. 

The acting CEO also mentioned the other companies except Gordon’s company name including Supreme Laundry Services, Willman Sales, and Scientific Medical Services, which contributed to total losses amounting to $23.1 million.

Many political leaders and commentators criticised the act including the political commentator Lloyd B. Smith, who publicly condemned the incident as he stated that “the PNP party’s leadership should take a strict disciplinary action on Gordon but they are silent on the issue.”

“To protect the democracy, the parties should behave and protect the country from such nuisance but here the member of the PNP party is committing fraud, then what do you expect from other people?” Smith stated. Further he Lloyd B. commented that “we all expect some action from his party against him and stop the further matter.”

He also claimed that “Gordon is a member of the PAC and MP for St Andrew East Central, still the committed a fraud and getting benefit from the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).”

Additionally, the Integrity Commission, the police, and the Jamaica Customs Agency have taken the matter in their hand and are actively investigating the breaches and fraud committed by the PNP’s members.  

Even though the PAC Chairman Julian Robinson disclosed that Gordon had repaid the UHWI the monies his company would have saved through the waived customs duties, which amounted to approximately $10 million, but Smith still stated that “this does not mean he have moral responsibilities and he should step down from his position.”

“It is clear that his company was the beneficiary of whatever took place and on that basis, he should not only recuse himself but he should resign from that particular committee,” said a political commentator. 

Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice, Mickel Jackson, also commented and said on her social media platform X that “if Dennis Gordon is not resigning by himself, the committee should take a decision and remove him from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).”

She also emphasised that “she does not believe that the payment he returned to the funds of UHWI is enough and it does not exonerate him of any culpability, while stressing that the UHWI is liable to repay all misused funds but the private companies involved should not only repay the funds but also face appropriate fines or penalties.”

Following the disclosure of the fraud and benefits he took from UHWI, the citizens of Jamaica are urging him to resign from his post and are also urging the authorities to punish him for the fraud or crime he committed.