Dawn Ritch, Columnist
I wonder just who would be interested in Bruce Golding's million-dollar tax bill, whether paid or unpaid?
Who would be interested in a small bakery in Old Harbour, notwithstanding their excellent whole-wheat bread, which has always been run by his wife Lorna?
Nevertheless, JLP ads have been run on the latter, and Golding has made an issue of the former. It is a mystery to me why anybody would be interested in seeing the one, much less leaking the other.
It seems rather a fortunate coincidence, that on the day before he was to debate his no-confidence motion, that his bank, according to him, should seek information required to bring his account up to date. This provided Bruce Golding with the opportunity to try to portray himself once again as a target and victim of the Government. This is but another example of Mr. Golding's alarmist behaviour, born no doubt out of a desire for public attention.
What is beyond me is what could have possessed Dr. Omar Davies, Finance Minister, to respond to such foolishness, and with such seriousness?
The Government, according to Mr. Golding, now wants to give him extra security. Why is this necessary? Is this because of his bank account?
There is an old saying that 'The same knife stick sheep, stick goat.' There is danger in disclosing banking information. People who do this without a second thought expose the owners and agents to kidnapping, as has happened in other countries where the confidentiality of banking has been breached.
In this regard, it appears Mr. Golding feels vulnerable, but why, I can't imagine. People get million-dollar tax bills all the time. This makes it completely unremarkable, except that he's the Leader of the Opposition and entitled to security from the purse of the taxpayers. Lorna ought to sit him down and tell him a thing or two about reality, unless she too has become disconnected.
Taking advantage
Mr. Golding is no more a target than any investigative journalist. The only difference is that a journalist is obliged to write only what is strictly accurate. He, on the other hand, can stand up in the House and talk sanctimonious drivel ad nauseam and without interruption, thanks to the advice given by the Prime Minister to her side of the House, and to the privileged protection he enjoys. No journalist could dream of such a privilege, much less think to abuse it.
Perhaps the Opposition Leader's presentation on the Trafigura affair was intended to convey his mastery of detail. Yet, at the end of it, nobody was any the wiser on what it all meant.
The Prime Minister refuses to make a statement until she has comprehensive information. Without this, she said, she might be able to make a convincing presentation, but more important to her, is an accurate one. Mrs. Simpson Miller said that she would therefore, wait on all the facts. No such scruples have ever detained Mr. Golding at any point in his chequered career.
Indeed, after seven hours of talk on both sides of the House last week, nobody is any the wiser than at the beginning. It was, and still remains a donation. But this is the parliamentary process, so it seems not to matter, except in so far as it was a consciousness-raising session for our two major political parties.
I can see some point to it in terms of the People's National Party, reported by media to be riven with dissension over the accession of Mrs. Simpson Miller to its leadership. All the PNP Members of Parliament who said terrible things about her then, now lined up to defend her administration. But I doubt anybody really wanted to hear a thing from them, nor cared that they were being true to the highest PNP tradition of solidarity with their leader.
Mr. Golding has changed his story on the Trafigura affair more times than I care to remember. His has been a moving goal post from inception, as with everything else. So, Mrs. Simpson Miller is probably also quite right to let him exhaust his positions before replying.
No financial records
After he resigned as head of the National Democratic Movement (NDM), a report was published in this newspaper about the lack of accountability for the finances of that political party. On October 16, 2004, The Gleaner stated: "According to party officials, the NDM has no financial records between 1995 and 2001, and therefore could not properly gauge its true financial position. They accused Mr. Golding of withholding the information. "We may have to enter into a court battle ... " said the party's acting vice-chairman, Peter Townsend.
"Mr. Golding's treasurer, Mr. David Wong Ken, told The Gleaner he did not know where the documents were. He, however, speculated that the NDM executive under former president Hyacinth Bennett might have removed them ... "
Mrs. Bennett did not return The Gleaner's calls seeking her comments then. But she is once again in Mr. Golding's corner. This same Mrs. Bennett, in search of relevance, now has the impertinence to question Mrs. Simpson Miller's integrity on radio.
Yet another question mark
None of the media nor the commentators now demanding answers to Trafigura, have ever demanded any answers to the NDM's accusation. It stands merely as yet another question mark over the political career of Bruce Golding. He is spending possibly over $31 million for advertising and PR consultancy to redesign himself and promote his party. Can the Jamaica Labour Party and Bruce Golding risk disclosing the source of this funding? People in glass houses should not throw stones.
Golding has a duty to his own reputation to clean up his own back yard before trying to tarnish the reputation of a politician who continues to be much more popular, trusted and respected than he. At minimum, he has no moral authority to suggest that the public's trust is misplaced. Bruce, after all, is the same person who caused Edward Seaga to remark in October 1995 that it should not be a problem for the newly-formed NDM to find a symbol, as "30 pieces of silver will do." (Gleaner Sept. 29, 2002.)
Speak to members of the NDM, and they will probably tell you that 'thirty pieces of silver' still dog Bruce Golding today.
