Ashford W. Meikle, Staff Reporter
DUNCAN
THE CHIEF executive officer (CEO) of JMMB, Keith Duncan, is calling for criminal penalties for politicians and public officials who are guilty of graft and corruption.
"We must take a zero tolerance approach. There must be consequences and those responsible should be fired or be held criminally responsible," said Duncan yesterday as he addressed the Speaker's forum hosted by AMCHAM at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.
LIVING BY THE RULES
The CEO argued that Jamaicans "cannot live in a society where those who live by the rules get shafted or a different set of rules are applied to different people. A little man who commits some basic crime gets a stiff sentence while billions of taxpayers' dollars are being wasted with minimal, if any, consequence."
He pointed to a number of scandals which have rocked the Government in recent times and which have cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Duncan questioned whether, because of the country's failure to hold public officials accountable, our leaders had "moral authority to talk to a little man in the inner city."
To bolster his argument for the prosecution of corrupt public officials, he pointed to the recent case in Trinidad where former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday was convicted of failing to disclose a bank account which he held in the United Kingdom.
At yesterday's function, the JMMB boss also bemoaned the widening gap between the "two Jamaicas ... uptown and downtown, we and them, haves and have nots."
MORE MUST BE DONE
Arguing that more must be done by corporate Jamaica to help the unfortunate in the society and break down the divide, Duncan lauded GraceKennedy and Michael Lee Chin for the work done in downtown Kingston and Grants Pen respectively. He pointed out that JMMB had just finished formulating its corporate citizens charter and would announce details soon.
"We must find the ways and the means to help those in need of help in those depressed communities, not through handouts but through investing in programmes to educate, train, mentor, rehabilitate."
He noted that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller was in a unique position to assist in the healing process.
"I believe with our new Prime Minister ... we have a great opportunity again to heal Jamaica. Our PM has mass appeal and has the trust and support of the masses, our people. I believe Portia could lead an integrated approach with the private sector being a major stakeholder to break down the barriers and the divisions in our country."
