Every once in a while, a nation finds itself at a crossroads – a defining moment – that can shape its development and its destiny. Over the past few years, Jamaica has been sliding down a precipice in our governance. The latest slippage was the recent appointment of Dennis Chung as the new Chief Technical Director (CTD) of the Financial Investigations Division (FID).
The FID is a critical component of Jamaica’s accountability framework. The FID, and the CTD, must have the full confidence of Jamaicans as well as the global and regional community in its investigations of the Prime Minister’s finances and all other matters under its investigation. Therefore, the CTD requires particular competencies, qualifications, experience, demonstrated independence, and impartiality. Mr Chung’s public comments concerning the Integrity Commission’s referral of the Prime Minister’s financials for further investigation by the FID in 2024, raise understandable questions of impartiality. Unexplained changes to requirements for the CTD post published in The Gleaner on November 24, 2024, raise even more concerns that undermine the important work of the FID. The Advocate Network (AN), therefore, joins JAMP and NIA in demanding full transparency of the CTD appointment so as to reassure Jamaicans about the credibility of the process.
However, Jamaicans should note that this matter goes way beyond Dennis Chung! It raises fundamental questions of the adequacy of our structure of government where power has been centralised and controlled by the Prime Minister (PM) and Cabinet, with no oversight. Under the Financial Investigations Division Act, 2010, the reports of even the most suitable CTD, go to the Finance Minister as well as the House of Representatives and the Senate (s.11), all under the control of the PM. Effectively, by constitutional design, the PM will have the final say over his own investigation!
This matter has now been escalated by protests led by the PNP. In response, the PM has encouraged JLP supporters to protest “in your workplace, in the market and wherever you are” against what he called the PNP’s “manufactured rage and crisis that don’t exist.” Jamaicans must be reminded, that the deeper governance crisis at the root of this matter is that since 2021 the required statutory declarations of the PM are yet to be certified by the Integrity Commission. The inability of the PM to be certified is a governance crisis!
We are at a monumental governance crossroads! As we move closer to a national election, we are also facing the fact that eight parliamentarians are being investigated for illicit enrichment and may be on the ballot. This has never happened before in our country’s history. This is a defining moment and every well-thinking Jamaican must act.
Advocacy Network