Delroy Chuck
When a government cannot be trusted, it should go. Our Westminster system of government is based on the will and confidence of the people and, during the past two weeks, the trust and confidence in our present government have completely disappeared. Whatever the outcome of the parliamentary vote of no confidence, expected yesterday, this Government would have no shame if it remains in power.
When the Leader of the Opposition on Tuesday, October 3, exposed the unseemly relations between Trafigura and the PNP government, and the gift of $31 million to the PNP's fundraising accounts, the government needed to come clean and show that the transaction was above board. Two weeks later, the country waits, and waits, despite the reported admission of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. A.J. Nicholson that there was 'hanky-panky' and the 'forced' resignation of Colin Campbell as PNP General Secretary and Minister of Information and Development. The country needs an explanation of the 'hanky panky' and the contents of the commercial invoice on which Trafigura made payments.
Stony silence
Instead, the country has been provided with a stony silence from the PNP administration and futile attempts by its sidekicks and supporters to focus on bank confidentiality and deflect public attention from the Trafigura scandal. To be sure, bank confidentiality is important for our banking system to develop confidence and protect the privacy of its customers. Yet, only the naïve would have confidence in the privacy of Jamaica's banking transactions. If we want to talk about bank confidentiality, check the Cayman Islands where over 500 registered banks have in excess of US$800 billion invested. Altogether, Jamaica probably has less than US$10 billion invested in its banks. The difference is that in the Cayman Islands, banking secrecy is sacrosanct, while in Jamaica the law provides governmental authorities access to virtually every banking transaction.
However, the shame of the PNP fanatics is rationalised and neutralised by focusing on the breach of the so-called banking confidentiality without even knowing how the Leader of the Opposition got the information. The PNP has certainly lost its moral compass. It now seeks to hide behind legal camouflages. The real focus should be on the immoral and possibly illegal gift to the PNP, for which the Prime Minister should have come penitently to the nation and apologised promptly for the obvious indiscretion. Somehow, she missed that opportunity and no doubt hoped that her instructions to return the gift would calm the political storm. Well, I rather doubt the gift can be returned and accepted, as Trafigura would immediately acknowledge breach of the law against giving gifts to political parties.
Dummy invoice
The real problem is that Trafigura has to stick to its position that the payment was for a commercial transaction, for which the dummy invoice would likely be fraudulent and someone in government may have a criminal charge to answer. Interestingly, what does the chairman of the PNP, Bobby Pickersgill, imply by 'arrangements' in his statement, published Monday October 9, on behalf of the PM? "This offer of funds had been accepted in good faith on the understanding that arrangements would be put in place to satisfy the payments as requested by the company." Who was aware of this offer of funds (gift) and the arrangements (invoice) to satisfy the payments?
In her reported 25 to 30 minutes courtesy call from the two Trafigura officials, did the PM discuss the donation to the Party? Is the PM trying to save her skin or somebody's neck why she is so silent? Her prolonged silence on the issue is a clear demonstration of the erosion of her moral authority to govern and her poor leadership skills. The nation is in crisis, and will continue in crisis, as long as the corridors of power engage leaders without morality, shame and sound judgment.
Delroy Chuck is an attorney-at-law and Member of Parliament. He can be contacted by email at delchuck@hotmail.com.
