The dual citizenship row involving Opposition Leader Mark Golding took a major turn on Monday, with the People’s National Party (PNP) accusing Government Minister Daryl Vaz of improperly accessing Golding’s private data that is stored at the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).
The PNP is alleging that this could be a major breach of Jamaica’s new Data Protection Act (DPA).
The act was passed in December 2023 and is slated to take full effect on June 1, following a grace period to allow individuals and organisations to register with the Office of the Information Commissioner.
The PNP in the press release claimed that Vaz during a media interview offered details on Golding's passport applications and other immigration-related information.
Vaz, on his official Twitter page, has since said that his "source is from deep within the belly of the PNP.
"But, like good journalists, good politicians never call the names of their trusted sources," Vaz said.