The corruption focus is not yielding the desired result, why ?

There has been much talk on Twitter and in the public space about the cost of corruption and the deleterious impact it is having on the Jamaican economy as well as on our scores on the Corruption Perception Index.

One is left to ask the obvious question, if corruption is a bad as it has been made out to be, why are people not being dragged before the courts for corruption and convicted and sentenced.

I think the main reason is, corruption pays handsomely and their is very little incentive to stop it. Corruption is a way of life for Jamaica believe it or not. This afternoon I happened to hear Johnny performing at powerful men/women in concert and he said something to this effect ” When I travel the streets I made sure I have something for the policeman”.

I saw one lady shaking her head in disapproval but many laughed it away because Johnny is a comedian. The question is, was Johnny speaking the truth or providing comic relief.

Some people are insisting that corruption will not stop until the politicians starts getting locked up, but while they are saying this, they are paying the cops not to write a ticket, paying customs officer to get their items in without paying the correct duties and using their links to seek personal favours, but in their eyes a nuh nuttin because everyone does it.

There is a unfair focus on politicians when its clear as day that the main culprits of corrupt practices are civil servants and the private sector folks.

I presented some figures earlier today which suggests that over the last 10 years corruption has cost this country between $912 billion and $1.106 trillion dollars.

Do you still beleive these monies ended in the pockets of PNP and JLP MP’s/Cabinet Ministers.

With that said, are we really looking in the right place to stamp out the ill of which we “detest” so much or a we just beating up our gums.

Bless

Where does the “cost” of corruption ends up

It is said that Jamaica loses between 5% to 7% of GDP to corruption, but what does this mean.

Truth be told corruption is a zero sum game, which means if one loses someone else gains. Corruption most often means funds, service etc that were to be for public good has been diverted to enrich others .

In 2018 Jamaica GDP was estimated to be approx US$15.8B so a “loss” of 5 % to 7% would equate to US$790m to US$1.106B. The equivalent in Jamaica dollars would be $108b to $151b.

Where does this loss to the government end up since I hold the view that this is a zero sum game. It would stand to reason that there are some very wealthy people living in this country and their wealth have grown exponentially over the years given their access to government resources .

How much of this wealth remains in Jamaica and what form has it taken on and how much resides outside of the country.

Very important questions that deserves answers

Jamaica’s GDP in US$ over the last 10 years

Accumulated losses over the last 10 years

Where is all this money, and what has it been doing or where has it been hiding

Not a single new initiative after PNP much talked about crime summit

A few months ago, the PNP expressed frustration that the JLP was refusing to meet with them to discuss their crime fighting strategies.

The PNP called stakeholders together and held a so called crime summit where they spent and entire day talking and coming up with plans( at least that was what we were led to believe)

Two months has elapsed since that summit and today not a single plan has been drafted and made public. I found it rather ironic as well that civil society and the members of the media fraternity have failed to demand that the opposition present the findings and plans coming out of that well publicized crime summit.

Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips (centre) shares a laugh with Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte and Opposition spokesperson on Energy, Phillip Paulwell at the PNP’s crime summit at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Tuesday. (PHOTO: Contributed)Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to LinkedInShare to WhatsAppShare to MessengerShare to EmailShare to TelegramShare to More101

Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips says his People’s National Party was forced to stage its own crime summit because of – in his estimation – Government’s failure to convene a national discussion on the issue, as well as what he said was the Holness administration’s failure to reduce crime, in particular murders.

He made the declaration at the PNP’s crime summit at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Tuesday.

“We decided to convene this stakeholders meeting because it is evident that, despite the declaration of seven states of emergency (SOEs) in separate police divisions, plus two zones of special operations in just over two years, there is still no sign of any sustained reduction in the levels of murder or violent crimes,” Phillips said.

Was it yet another talk shop and what explains the silence from the media in demanding answers.

Fitz Jackson more than 3 weeks ago promised a report, but as expected nothing will be forthcoming.

PNP failure once again, lot’s of talk but no action and the media refuses to call them out .

How to make the SOE more effective in shorter period of time

Below are a few changes that needs to be made to have a more dramatic impact on murders.

SOE should be only declared in a small geographic area that can be properly manned by members of the security forces and police and should follow this pattern.

Methodology

1. Border team is put in place in strategic position ie possible escape routes around the targeted areas. These should be at conspicuous and not so conspicuous areas where one can escape
2. The special search team well equipped with dogs and digging implements, lights metal detectors etc, which allows them to conduct premises by premises search for both wanted men, guns and ammunition.
3. Drones should be used by the mobile central command to alert members of team 1(Border Team) if men are trying to make escape the dragnet and go after these folks
4. In the night helicopters equipped with Flir Infrared Camera would be used to detect the presence of any live body which tries to escape the dragnet via cover of darkness.
5. Outside of the imaginary border, there would be an additional check point at all exits from the community to check persons who may have escaped and are attempting to go into the neighboring communities.

This entire operation should last no more that 24 to 36 hours and then the forces should leave and go into the next targeted community.

It would be anticipated that in the first 14 days of the SOE at least 6 communities in that geographic areas could be check and all they exit at the end of that 14-day period.

The shock and awe present by such could be replicated in all areas under which a SOE has been implemented and would have the following effect

1. Severely disrupt criminal activities
2. Remove a significant number of guns hidden in houses and yards within the target zones’
3. Take out gangs who can them be charged under existing laws
4. Prevent criminals from migrating to other communities based on the use of the specific search patter as describe above.
5. Immediate and medium-term impact on criminal activities in particular murders.

See below a pictorial example of what I am referring to above. The legend shows what is happening in this specific location.

Bless

No to any PNP affiliated lawyers prosecuting the Ruel Reid corruption trial

Over the years we have sat idly by and watch the PNP call for commission of enquiries, investigations and prosecution and then watch in awe as they insert their lawyers into the process, then walking away with millions of dollars in tax payers money.

We note recent comments made by the FID Director indicating his intention to by pass the fully staffed and well equipped DPP office and seek a fait to get a “private prosecutor” for the Ruel Reid case.

The FID can in fact do this as stated by the DPP, but I have a very serious concern about going down this path. Is the FID about securing conviction or ensuring a fair trial, that is a question he will need to answer.

My bigger question however is one of cost and don’t come tell me that cost should be of no consequence that is a lot of BS right there.

We saw in the Mannatt case lawyer fees ranging from US$250 ( J $34,350) to US$500 (J$68,500) per hour . Using the Kern Spencer case as proxy, this case lasted about 4 years and would have consumed at least 500 hrs of court time.

Now FID would most likely employ at least two lawyers one to lead and a second with fees say average fees of say US$350 per hr x 500 x 2 which give a whopping figure of just lawyers fees of J$48M !

We the public will NOT sit by and allow tax payers money to be paid to any PNP affiliated lawyers, when we have a fully competent DPP office which is well capable of prosecuting this case.

This is not about eating a food, we have had enough of that, this is about ensuring that justice is served and chips fall where they may

#VigilanceFromThePublic

#NoMoreEatABigFood

Any group that wants to make others accountable, must subject themselves to public scrutiny

There is a group called Jamaica Accountability Metre Portal (JAMP) who claims that their mission is to hold public figures to account and ensure no more 9 day wonders. The group is inviting all to its public launch on October 16, 2019.

What is interesting is I knew they have been around for at least 4 years but now finally has decided to be launched officially.

I am all for accountability in the public office , let me state that for the record and as such anything to hold public officials to account must be encouraged.

The problem I have is when certain organizations outside of the Police, MOCA, The Integrity Commission, the Auditor General comes out shouting accountability, I tend to send up my antennas .

The main reason for the distrust of the public in these bodies, is most often the leader and their associates have a agenda, political or otherwise and use the ruse of “accountability” to push forward their personal agenda in support of one political party against the other.

If one seeks to hold public officials to account, then they themselves must be subjected to public scrutiny and as such we need JPAM to respond to the following

1. They must state their source of financing , how much and from who.
2. They must present to the public income and expense statements since they have been incorporated . We need to know if they have been accountable for the funds they have received.
3. Who are the principals and what are there background in public or private practice.
4. Can we get a list of the ordinations that they are members of and what are there roles in these organizations over the last 10 year.
5. Are they willing to share with the public a filing similar to the politicians integrity filing for the last 5 years showing their assets and liabilities.
6. Are they affiliated with or members of any political party and if so in what capacity.
7. Are they providing advise or rendering services to any of the political parties. If so state the party and the type of engagement they are involved in.
8. Have they ever been before the courts in Jamaica or any other jurisdiction for any matter than could compromise their ability to be a watch dog.
9. If the answer to 8 is yes, what was the charge and what was the outcome of the case.
10. Do they have any pending matters awaiting adjudication by the courts in Jamaica or in any other jurisdiction.

We want full transparency, no longer are we willing to accept that anyone in the Jamaican society are paragons of virtue, no more hidden agendas

#FullDisclosure

Decades of PNP rule have created a corruption culture in Jamaica

The PNP after ruling for 22.5 out of the last 30 years must take credit for creating a culture of corruption that is presently negatively impacting all aspects of life in Jamaica today.

During this period of time , the PNP has overseen no less than 25 scandals, many of which reeks of corruption to include bribery, kickbacks, fraud, and diversion of public funds to private individuals.

During this period of time, not a single person has ever been convicted of corruption charges, despite the good work of Greg Christie as Contractor General as well as work done by the Auditor General.

In fact in 2012, the OCG blasted Dr Omar Davis and the PNP for creating a team to circumvent the work of the OCG, which only served to reinforce the point that the PNP was never serious about corruption prevention and never valued real accountability . Dr Davis angrily said words to the effect ” We will not allow the OCG to make us impotent” . Never before have we seen such disdain for an ANTI CORRUPTION agency, yet Dr Davis was allowed to keep his job , amazing.

One man whose name has featured the most has been Phillip Paulwell and to date he has managed to elude law enforcement officials for every one of the corruptions scandals that bears his name. He was recently promoted to Vice President of the PNP and now campaign manager of the party.( I guess in that party you get rewarded based on the number of corruption scandals that you have been associated with.)

The failure of the PNP over the 22.5 years has ensured that Jamaica remains close to the bottom on the Corruption Perception Index and it will take a mammoth task for the perception of corruption to be lifted.

The corruption bug as infiltrated every aspect of public life to include the JTA, the JCF, the Media and even aspect of the judiciary, leaving us to wonder if we ever slay this dragon.

Corruption watch dog such as NIA has come in for some very serious questions as well, for what appears to be its lack of objectivity and questions still surround the head of the organization given his past associations, which does not help.

We trust that the current JLP administartion will actually do something about the high level of corruptiuon that has premated every sector in Jamaca.

Don’t be fooled, it will a most difficult task which will be stoutly resisted by the most corrupt as according to the them ” a so d ting set”

Today’s raid by the Police on Pinnock and Reid raises some serious questions?

On Monday October 7, 2019 Peter Phillips a former National Security Minister and Opposition leader held a press conference were he demanded an update on the investigations surrounding Ruel Reid and Fitz Pinnock and demanded that arrest be made or he will demonstrate.

Today. ( Wed Oct 9, 2019) we received news that a raid was carried out that home of Ruel Ried , Fitz Pinnock and a Councillor and they all have been taken into custody.

This immediately caused me to begin thinking

Did Dr Peter Phillips as a former National Security Minister receive prior information from the police that a raid was about to take place hence the reason to call the press conference having been armed with this information.

If this is the case, it raises some very serious questions into how police investigations are being carried out and the confidentially involved until a arrest has actually have been made. If Peter Phillips did get inside information how did he gain access and what other investigative materials is he in possession of.

The second question is, was this a knee jerk reaction by the police to the call issued by the Opposition Leader, if that is the case it raises even more troubling questions. Is the police once again taking instructions from the political directorate.

In July the police indicated that had sent a file to the DPP which the DPP responded to with a 14 pages document asking for more information to make a credible case. Was this process completed and the police are now acting on the final recommendation of the DPP.

The raid on Pinnock house had the media and camera in tow, how did the media became aware of an imminent raid on the home of Pinnock, did the police inform them of this ” raid”, is this a PR event. Lawyers are going to have a field day with this one.

This entire series of events raises some really troubling questions on the professionalism of the police in conducting an efficient investigation and their entire conduct leading up the men being taken into custody this morning.

The police by their very actions may have now damaged any trial that may now emanate from the long investigation and compromise the entire criminal investigation.

Dr Phillips secret MOU and the access to information act

The recent controversy surrounding the move by the government to increase the time taken to access cabinet notes and the agreement by the leader of the opposition to such a move got me thinking.

We now know that Dr Peter Phillips spoke with the PM and in principle agreed with the move, but was not in agreement with 70 years, how much years he would have agreed to, no one knows and the media has refused to ask.

Anyway, my thought turned to the secret MOU unilaterally signed by Peter Phillips that no one else in the entire government was aware of including the Prime Minister of the country.

It then struck me that part of the reason Dr Peter Phillips never brought the matter to cabinet was because he knew that notes would have been taken on whatever decision was agreed upon, and those documents could have been in the public domain 20 years after the decision.

It appears to commonsenseja that Dr Peter Phillips knowing this, made sure that under no circumstances any decision made in relation to this MOU would ever show up in the public space and deliberately keep it out of cabinet discussions.

To now hear Dr Peter Phillips saying he has no objection to access to cabinet documents is very funny, when he himself virtually single-handedly made sure that nothing related to the agreements he made would EVER show up in public record

How self serving and disrespectful to the people of this country.

His moves with the secret MOU was well orchestrated and a deliberate attempt to ensure the public NEVER finds out what he did.

Can anyone really trust Dr Peter Phillips

Dr Peter Phillips calls for political interference is troubling !

Yesterday, Monday , October 7, 2019 I was stunned to her the leader of the opposition Dr Peter Phillips demanding that the government step into the middle of a number of investigations and have them issue updates.

I was even more stunned with the opposition leader indicated if his demands were not meet, he would be incite all sections of the society to rise up and demonstrate against these independent state agencies.

Not only I am alramer but I a very troubled by the stance taken by Dr Phillips, who appears to be willing to exert political pressure on independent state agencies who should NOT be subjected to such pressures, is this a throw back to the 1970’s.

I therefore have no choice but to issue this call

We are calling on the opposition leader Dr Peter Phillips to immediately withdraw his incendiary comments where he called on the government to directly interfere with the investigation being carried out by independent law enforcement agents, which should NEVER be subjected to political interference.

We are also calling for Dr Phillips to immediately apologize to the head of these agencies for inciting public demonstration against each one of them if his demands are not met in 30 days.

We are also calling on Dr Peter Phillips to reaffirm his commitment to the rule of law and good governance as it relates to the operation of these entities.

We are demanding that Dr Peter Philips re-affirm his commitment to independence of the agencies and ensuring they are free from all political interference.

We are demanding that these be done within the next 24 hrs.

Oct 8, 2019

If Dr Phillips refuses to acceded to our request, we will be calling on the various stakeholders, the media, NIA, THE churches and civil society to join us in staging a demonstration at the PNP HQ to voice our disgust at the attempts by the opposition leader to meddle in the operations of the independent law enforcement and investigative bodies in Jamaica.

We are NOT going back to the days of the 1970’s