THE EDITOR, Sir:
WHAT ARE the Jamaican Bar Association (JBA) and the Realtor's Association of Jamaica (RAJ) afraid of? Whose side are they on?
Why are they behaving like little brats over Finance Minister Omar Davies' decision to add their organisations to the list of those bound by law to report suspicious financial transactions to the authorities for scrutiny in his bid to combat financial crime by way of money laundering?
It is such a shame that so many of our once proud and dignified professionals have fallen prey to greed, "profit at any cost" and, as a result, have allowed themselves to become part of the country's growing and far reaching crime problem rather than being a part of the solution.
It is no secret that car dealers, law and realtors offices are among those most widely used by so-called clients to fence and launder tainted money from the underworld.
All the talk about threat to the principle of trust and confidentiality between professionals and their clients is nonsense.
Crime is crime whether it's happening in an inner-city ghetto or an uptown corporate office, and any attempt to stamp it out must be supported.
If this move by the minister is part of the many to rein in those in high places who have allowed themselves to become practitioners of criminality, it is not only a good move, it is correct.
I am, etc,
D. ANTHONY WILLIAMS
dawilly@optonline.net
Miramar, Florida
Via Go-Jamaica
