Fri | Jan 3, 2025

Mark Wignall | Who’s afraid of the Integrity Commission?

Published:Sunday | January 14, 2024 | 12:06 AM

Mark Wignall writes: The PM keeps getting these balls ready-made for huge boundaries and yet he continues to flash powerfully and keeps on missing them down both sides of the wicket.
Mark Wignall writes: The PM keeps getting these balls ready-made for huge boundaries and yet he continues to flash powerfully and keeps on missing them down both sides of the wicket.

My lawyer friend and I had a conversation mid last week. Unsurprisingly, it was about the Integrity Commission (IC).

“I read in The Gleaner (January 11) that Malahoo Forte and Chuck are at it again regarding the IC. There is concern that the IC requesting information from those required to make disclosures may be some kind of trap because if such information is provided, it could be used against the declarant. On its face that may seem reasonable, but the lawyer in me sees a different picture.”

“Explain that a little more for me,” I said.

“What I hear is if a declarant does supply information which leads to questions, there should be no accountability. It is common practice that if an entity with constitutional investigative powers requests information it is entitled to, and the information provided is a violation of law or questionable, the information should be investigated.”

“That seems quite logical,” I suggested. But he had more.

“For example, if the police go to a house to search for drugs and find neglected children, the police alert the requisite authority to assist the children and investigate child neglect. In that same vein, if the IC receives information from a declarant and there is a question about tax filings or some other provision of the law, why should they not report such to the relevant authorities or suggest that investigation by the relevant authority may be warranted? MPs and Cabinet ministers took an oath to uphold the law and Constitution of Jamaica, did they not? So what is the problem?”

“Basically, you are saying they want special treatment?” I asked.

“Yes, and I think it is, leave us alone, trust us, otherwise we feel entrapped. Really? MPs and Cabinet ministers are usually well off. They can consult with lawyers, tax experts, and make sure they follow the law. But again, my view is they do not like the scrutiny. The question is, why?”

“Frankly, I would just like this matter of the IC, the PM, and the JLP solved. And it seems that for that to happen, full declarations must be made. Half measures will not help,” I said.

My friend responded. “You’re right. By the way, I thought the PM decreed no more cass-cass about the IC. Has the decree been lifted? Or because the PM still has not sorted his declarations to the IC, he does not mind the sniping at the IC? Finally, the PM still not having his declarations in order is inexcusable. What kind of example is that to your country that is suffering under the weight of corruption at all levels?”

The PM keeps getting these balls ready-made for huge boundaries and yet he continues to flash powerfully and keeps on missing them down both sides of the wicket.

TAXI DRIVERS SMILING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK

One of the main factors embedded in Jamaica’s social and political culture is that the governed have always known the intentions and behaviours of the governors. They know from history and the realities of the present that it is unjust, unfair, and often, criminally corrupt.

Last Thursday morning I was at a spot ideally suited as a taxi stop for drivers while they were cooling out by trying to evade traffic cops waiting to snare them at a well- known intersection. They were drinking Campari and Boom and white rum.

They were quite animated, especially as they praised their heroes as they madly rocketed past them on a straight stretch of road. “Mek police go afta him. Dem cyan ketch him! Him wi carry dem go a bush and loss dem.”

One said in answer to my question. “Before mi buy my car, mi use fi drive fi a policeman.” He laughed. “Di car nuh have no papers. All mi have is a phone number in case mi get stop. After a while no police pon di route trouble mi.”

In answer to another of my questions, he said, “Yes, whole heap a di car and bus dem own by police. A just so di system run. And if we don’t work wid di system, we nah mek it.

“Wi nu want nuh man or gal sorry fi wi. If mi a drive fi a man and him want $5,000 or $7,000 fi di day, wi can mek 20 or 25,000,” one said while the other four agreed.

“Twenty thousand per day!” I said in mock surprise as I had heard that number before at another taxi stop. “Some a wi work all seven day fi di week, said a young driver in his mid-twenties. So wi can pull in every week over hundred thou.”

Another said”: Wi never haffi go university fi know seh di system set fi mash wi dung. We know seh di big man dem and di politician a look out fi demself. So wi nuh bodda wid dem and wi nuh inna no tag a war wid dem. Every body a look out fi dem own.”

WILL LEADERSHIP FACTOR SHOW UP FOR ELECTIONS?

While many said that former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson was a man of intellectual heft, I always wondered why he made me want to nod off whenever he spoke to the nation. I found him boring in 1993, 1997, and 2002. He won all three elections.

Michael Manley was in a class strictly made for him alone as he perfected the art of intellectually dreaming his way to political utopia as he excited a nation from one thousand podiums.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness is neither P.J. nor Michael. And if he is more like his mentor, the late Eddie Seaga, he will be forced to keep that to himself. Seaga was respected by many and disliked by huge numbers of Jamaicans.

Mark Golding will be having many assessments done of him all of this year to determine if we can locate 10 pounds of Michael, an ounce of P.J., and many, little exciting parts of himself. Whatever it turns out to be, he ought to remember that whether those parts of him exist or not, his presence will be required at two main events this year.

Much more on that next.

Mark Wignall is a political and public affairs analyst. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and mawigsr@gmail.com.