Heather Robinson

So much has been said about Trafigura in the last ten days. Many of us had never heard of this company until last week Tuesday evening. Bruce Golding, the Leader of the Opposition, must take the credit for bringing Trafigura to the attention of the Jamaican people.

Some of us - especially those of us who work in financial institutions - are frightened about the breach of confidentiality that led to the public exposure of banking transactions of two accounts operated by persons connected to the People's National Party. There are others in our country who have congratulated Bruce Golding on his publication of the information. These persons argue that this is done in the 'public interest'.

Bank managers across the length and breadth of Jamaica are living in fear of one of their employees being inveigled or coerced into providing confidential banking information to interested parties. It will not always be easy to determine who has provided the information, and one can only wonder what a head office will do when it cannot actually finger the guilty party.

If indeed the publication of the Trafigura-related banking trans-actions was done in the 'public interest', is there any other revelation, though illegal or immoral, that would satisfy the criteria of being in the 'public interest'.

Wanted men and politicians

Politicians can always claim not to know about the existence of criminals or wanted men in their constituencies or parties. Some, over time, have merely pretended not to have had this information, as a means of securing their re-election. At what point does a politician or, indeed, any citizen of Jamaica decide that it is not only in the public's interest, but rather the national security interest of Jamaica to inform the police on the where-abouts of wanted men?

Trafigura has also allowed our human rights activists the opportunity to explain more clearly - and with the sound and language of the Queen - how important our legal system really is. It is a primary imperative of these activists to promote the civil rights of the Jamaican people. Jamaicans for Justice through its website defines this role as "All Jamaicans must have equal access to fair, correct and impartial treatment."

Are any rights excluded?

But the big question is: are there any rights that are excluded? Are consumer or customer rights not included in the remit of these activists? Or are their functions merely restricted to actions by the state or representatives of the Jamaican government? Would human rights activists behave in the same way if the banking information of Michael Gayle's mother had been made public after she deposited her compensation cheques minus legal fees?

Bruce Golding is the Leader of the Opposition. Should Jamaica expect him - if he were to become Prime Minister - to disclose all the details of discussions held, for example, with foreign investors? Would this be in the national interest?

Do we as taxpayers have the right to see the integrity reports submitted each year by our parliamentarians? And is it in the national interest to know if any parliamentarian owes income tax to the Inland Revenue Department?

All of these are worthy questions, but the basic question is simply: Who determines whose rights and what rights are in the national interest? Raisers of the alarm should always remember this.

Heather Robinson is a life underwriter and former Member of Parliament.