Now we know...

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Back in the 1940s one of my heroes, celebrated author and polemicist Roger Mais, got into big “bad trouble” with the colonial powers for a famous article titled “ Now We Know”, which took our rulers in London to task.

Today, thanks to a prominent member of the PNP’s ‘brains’ trust, Damion Crawford, one could write another article titled “ Now We Know” as the nation approaches the September 3 election.

For a long time now, the PNP has been attacking the integrity of Prime Minister Andrew Holness with respect to unexplained wealth and his failure to have his reports to the Integrity Commission certified. Whether or not this line of attack was having much traction with voters in the absence of any evidence of his wrongdoing – or any explanation from Holness himself – is a matter of conjecture.

As a result of the case brought by the prime minister, certain details relating to his finances were published, buried deep in a lengthy Gleaner report. There were references to investments in Olint and Cash Plus – two Ponzi schemes in which many Jamaicans, of all political stripes, all social and financial classes, participated. As with all Ponzi schemes, some ‘investors’ made money, and some lost. The vast majority of the ‘investors’ did not put their money in, knowing that it was a Ponzi scheme. They did so, in good faith even if unwisely, believing that their money was being invested in legitimate enterprises.

Now in the debate on Saturday night, Crawford, in a disapproving tone, was at pains to inform us – especially those who did not venture into the entrails of The Gleaner report – that the prime minister was one of those who participated in these Ponzi schemes of yesteryear.

Duh.

Whether or not that participation would satisfy the scrutiny of accountants or the Integrity Commission is now irrelevant. For voters who may have been in doubt and for any for whom this may still have been an issue, Crawford’s exhibition of political malpractice effectively puts an end to this line of attack. Voters may well be saying “Now We Know”.

ERROL TOWNSHEND

Scarborough, Ontario

Canada

ewat@rogers. com