By Keril Wright,
Staff reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
YESTERDAY, FOR the second time in three days, senior police officers in Montego Bay had to ask some of their juniors supervising a controversial partner plan's pay-out of money from the Barnett Street police station, to leave the premises.
Some of the policemen were alleged to have been collecting a percentage of the Speedy Cash Partner Plan payment for their "services". Speedy Cash is one of three partner plans operating in the city.
Inspector Melvin Dennis, speaking with The Gleaner, said that he had to ask some policemen to leave the station both on Saturday and yesterday.
"I was made aware of what was happening and I personally had to ask some of them to leave. Even this morning I asked others to leave and instructed them not to return to the premises," he said.
Since Friday operators of Speedy Cash, Montego Bay's most prolific "get-rich-quick" scheme, have been making payments to their patrons from the Barnett Street police station. Inspector Dennis said the operators asked to use the station after 20 persons were shot and injured at their Oneness Plaza offices on Friday, during a rush in which a security guard's shotgun went off accidentally.
Since the new arrangement, it has been rumoured that some police were "making a killing" by charging a fee to collect money on behalf of other persons.
In response to queries by The Gleaner, Inspector Dennis said he was made aware of the situation and had responded by removing "certain officers" from the premises.
One man who requested anonymity said he went to the station on Saturday to collect a $10,000-draw. "I couldn't wait on the crowd so I just pay a police man a $1,000 and he collected for me," he said.
Another source told The Gleaner that some police charged a percentage of the money they collected. "They make several thousand dollars every day," the source said.
When The Gleaner visited the station yesterday several policemen were seen on the premises, even though operations there had been scaled down since last month. Inspector Dennis said that only three men were supposed to be on duty there.
He said, however, that many of the officers present were off-duty personnel who were there on their own time, adding that Barnett Street was a base for many of the policemen who worked in the downtown area.
"Many of the officers you see here have concluded their duties elsewhere," he said.
"It is possible that some of these officers may be working for the Speedy Cash operators, but I have no proof of that," he said.
Policemen were also seen at the Speedy Cash Oneness Plaza location, where persons still go to make payments.
When The Gleaner visited yesterday a policeman identified as a member of the Mobile Reserve was seen handing out application forms.
Inspector Dennis said he would investigate the report but added that maybe the officer was making, "some extra cash in his free time".
Several Mobile Reserve policemen were also at Barnett Street but the Inspector said they were all off duty.
He said the Mobile Reserve policemen were in the city to help monitor Spring Break activities.
He hastened to add that he had taken the initiative as a senior officer to assist in the operations at Barnett Street.
"I am not here for monetary gain. We are just facilitating them in the interest of public safety," he stated.
He insisted that the present arrangement was only a short-term measure until the operators get things back to normal.
"We estimate that between Thursday and Friday things should be back to normal, We are just facilitating them until they clear up this present backlog," he stated. In addition, the Inspector said he was sure who the operators of Speedy Cash were, and admitted that permission was not sought from the Commissioner of Police for use of the premises.
Attempts by The Gleaner to contact the St. James Division head Superintendent Owen Ellington were unsuccessful.
The Speedy Cash partner plan, one of three such operating in St. James, offers individuals a one-month investment scheme which pays huge dividends.
Individuals are promised $17,000 from an initial payment of $3000 -- $10,000 in the first month and $7000 in the second.
A $6000 initial payment offers $34,000; twice that offers $68,000 while a $150,000 hand is supposed to pay a whopping $800,000.
The Fair Trading Commission, Consumers Affairs Division and the Bank of Jamaica have all warned potential investors that they have no legal protection if the schemes flop.
