NDM also calling for Davies to go

[evanovitch]

Saturday, 07 November 2009
There is a further call Dr. Omar Davies, Opposition Spokesman on Finance to be removed as Chairman the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The National Democratic Movement (NDM) has joined the Jamaica Labour Party's youth arm G2K in urging Dr. Davies to recuse himself from the Committee.

In a statement, the NDM said the former Finance Minister is no longer suitable to hold the post following recent revelations.

It cited Dr. Davies' handling of the employment contract for former Bank of Jamaica Governor Derick Latibeaudiere.

Michael Williams, NDM General Secretary, says other issues have brought Dr. Davies' tenure as PAC Chairman into question.

"That has been the significant factor that has plagued Dr. Davies' administration ever since and now with the recent revelations of the forward selling of bauxite and what happened the FINSAC deal. There's also the incident that the Contractor General (CG) has commented on, him giving false information to the CG which is a breach and demonstrates a certain amount of dishonesty," he said.

[evanovitch]

Love him, hate him ...

Love him, hate him ...
Published: Sunday | November 8, 2009




FOR FOURTEEN years, Dr Omar Davies controlled the country's purse strings with a swagger that made people love him or hate him; but revelations over the past two months have led to a dramatic rise in the latter group.

After a contrived by-election in which he was elected member of parliament for the People's National Party's (PNP) safe seat of South St Andrew, Davies was ushered into the Ministry of Finance in December 1993 to replace Hugh Small.

From day one, Davies commanded the country's financial operations with a confidence that many of his detractors labelled arrogance.

That confidence, or arrogance, was based on a solid academic foundation. He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and Northwestern University in the United States. He received a doctorate in economics at the latter. The former finance minister was also an assistant professor at the ivy-league institution, Stanford University, in California.

older posts

In addition, Davies served as a senior lecturer in the Department of Economics at the University of the West Indies, and was director general of the Planning Institute of Jamaica.

Throughout his tenure as finance minister, Davies attracted an almost equal number of admirers and detractors.

However, even his staunch critics struggled to challenge claims that he was a man of integrity after he avoided the many allegations of corruption that were levelled at other members of the PNP over the 18 years that it held on to state power.

While some detractors labelled his handling of the country's finances as incompetent, they could only point to his now infamous "run wid it" speech when they wanted to question his integrity.

clear danger signs

That speech came in the aftermath of the 2002 general election when Davies implied that despite clear danger signs, some government spending had been done with an eye on another electoral victory for the PNP.

But in recent weeks, some of the luster has started to leave the man who earned the confidence, if not admiration, of many in the financial sector locally and internationally.

First came the contractor general's claim that "Dr Davies had unlawfully and improperly intervened in the sale of the London Heathrow slots, and that the process of evaluation, selection and approval of the Virgin Atlantic proposal lacked merit, transparency, fairness and impartiality".

It was further claimed that "Davies made a false statement to mislead, or attempted to mislead a contractor general, contrary to Section 29 (a) of the Contractor General Act".

That fire blazed hotter for Davies when the director of public prosecutions agreed with the findings of the contractor general and sent the matter to the police for further investigation.

Davies has argued that any incorrect statement he made to the contractor general would be a genuine mistake as his files had been left at his former office and he was going from memory.

multimillion-dollar contract

And even as the public digested that development, Davies again found himself in the spotlight last week when Prime Minister Bruce Golding told the country about the multimillion-dollar contract given to former central bank Governor Derick Latibeaudiere.

"It was a strange contract, the likes of which has not up to now been found anywhere else," Golding declared while pointing to the contract that had been signed by Davies.

"The former governor is not to be blamed for the absurdly generous and open-ended contractual terms that he enjoyed. He was the beneficiary. That blame must be laid squarely at the feet of the former government and the former minister of finance, in particular, who authorised and signed the contract," added Golding as he claimed that it was significant that there was no record that the contract had been approved by the Cabinet.

In his defence, Davies accepted that while the contract might have been excessive, it was standard, and so had not needed the approval of the Cabinet.

Davies has also received public backing from his party, which claimed the former finance minister did no wrong.

But this has not stopped the scathing criticisms, and Dr Omar Davies is now among The Sunday Gleaner's People Under Pressure.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The National Democratic Movement (NDM) and the Jamaica Labour Party's young professionals group, Generation 2000 (G2K), have turned up the heat on Opposition Spokesman on Finance Dr Omar Davies.

The NDM has called on Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller to remove Davies as the party's spokesman on finance and as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

According to the NDM, Davies should not remain in politics based on several issues, including his incompetence.

In the meantime, G2K argues that Davies' judgement, competence and stewardship as a public official have been called into question once again.

"It is most unfortunate that an individual who had repeatedly demonstrated reckless behaviour as finance minister could be vested with the awesome responsibility of presiding over a committee as sensitive as the PAC in the first place," charged G2K.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Love him, hate him ...

the media at it's usual decoy when things are going down.

while the IMF is setting up the country for it's near demise.

they are distracting the people with nonsense.
The governor was too sharp for the negotiators to pull the wool over his eyes.
So they use the media to disparage him and force him to resign.
Now they are free to take the country to the cleaners.

why is it thet the policies used in developed countries are the opposite used in third world countries?
And economic turn around is always successsful in developed countries, but never once in third world countries??

[Dyoll_73]

Re: Love him, hate him ...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the media at it's usual decoy when things are going down.

while the IMF is setting up the country for it's near demise.

they are distracting the people with nonsense.
The governor was too sharp for the negotiators to pull the wool over his eyes.
So they use the media to disparage him and force him to resign.
Now they are free to take the country to the cleaners.

why is it thet the policies used in developed countries are the opposite used in third world countries?
And economic turn around is always successsful in developed countries, but never once in third world countries?? </div></div>

It's funny how I never heard you decry the PNP's PR machinery in the media prior to September 2007, but here you are ...

When you say the governor is &quot;too sharp&quot; you should explain what you mean. In any case, he has been a part of Jamaica's problems, and thus, his removal is part of the solution.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Love him, hate him ...

Lets say you have not been here long enough.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Humano</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the media at it's usual decoy when things are going down.

while the IMF is setting up the country for it's near demise.

they are distracting the people with nonsense.
The governor was too sharp for the negotiators to pull the wool over his eyes.
So they use the media to disparage him and force him to resign.
Now they are free to take the country to the cleaners.

why is it thet the policies used in developed countries are the opposite used in third world countries?
And economic turn around is always successsful in developed countries, but never once in third world countries?? </div></div>

It's funny how I never heard you decry the PNP's PR machinery in the media prior to September 2007, but here you are ...

When you say the governor is &quot;too sharp&quot; you should explain what you mean. In any case, he has been a part of Jamaica's problems, and thus, his removal is part of the solution. </div></div>

[Dyoll_73]

Re: Love him, hate him ...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lets say you have not been here long enough.</div></div>

Believe it or not, I've been here longer than you have; I first registered in August 2000, and except for a period of absence for about two years, I've been writing and observing on this board.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Love him, hate him ...

Well if you have been here longer than this board exist you can say that. don't believe everything you read. The registration dates have been messed I have her from the days of the one page. and have been here continuously since. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Humano</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lets say you have not been here long enough.</div></div>

Believe it or not, I've been here longer than you have; I first registered in August 2000, and except for a period of absence for about two years, I've been writing and observing on this board. </div></div>

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Love him, hate him ...

If you were reading since then, you probably conveniently forget,my criticism of the PNP when they were in power.

[evanovitch]

Humano , go read bout di govana n him race horses

ovah in di post whe mi ha bout him firing..u wi see picture of his house n him talk bout him farm too...

news about his high life an spending is not news..but unda di 18yrs all went on cause who was gwine to fyah him..him fren whe gi him di job

like mi seh, mi cannot believe dat the people who maligned the 21 families bk in di days live fi come try outdo dem n all wile singing betta muss come..dem shudda qualify dat di betta was gwine to come to juss dem

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Humano , go read bout de giovanna n him race horses

there is a lot of Jamaicans who own race horses.
He owned horses before he got the job.
As a matter of example my family own race horses.
you really don't have to be super wealthy to own lots of horses if you have a farm.
For one <span style="font-size: 11pt">every dime spent on a horse farm is tax deductible under the Jamaican tax laws.
Most Jamaican wealthy at least own a share in some tax shelter.
race horses is the tax shelter of the unsophisticated.
You can win tax free money and all your expenses are tax deductible.
</span> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovich</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ovah india post whe mi ha bout him firing..uwi see picture of his house n him talk bout him farm too...

news about his high life an spending is not news..but da da 18yrs all went on cause who was gwine to fyah him..him from whe gi him da job

like mi seh, mi cannot believe dat the people who maligned the 21 families bk in da days live fi come try outdo demon all wile singing betta muss come..dem shoulda qualify dat da betta was gwine to come to juss dem </div></div>

[evanovitch]

Re: Humano , go read bout de giovanna n him race horses

mi ongle a go laff cause mi know u lass name not Feanny...nuff said as to di ress

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Humano , go read bout de giovanna n him race horses

Wrongggg ''bait.

[RichD]

Re: Humano , go read bout de giovanna n him race horses

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">there is a lot of Jamaicans who own race horses.
He owned horses before he got the job.
As a matter of example my family own race horses.
you really don't have to be super wealthy to own lots of horses if you have a farm.
For one <span style="font-size: 11pt">every dime spent on a horse farm is tax deductible under the Jamaican tax laws.
Most Jamaican wealthy at least own a share in some tax shelter.
race horses is the tax shelter of the unsophisticated.
You can win tax free money and all your expenses are tax deductible.
</span> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovich</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ovah india post whe mi ha bout him firing..uwi see picture of his house n him talk bout him farm too...

news about his high life an spending is not news..but da da 18yrs all went on cause who was gwine to fyah him..him from whe gi him da job

like mi seh, mi cannot believe dat the people who maligned the 21 families bk in da days live fi come try outdo demon all wile singing betta muss come..dem shoulda qualify dat da betta was gwine to come to juss dem </div></div> </div></div>

why dem need tax shelter when moassa dem not paying tax?

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Humano , go read bout de giovanna n him race horses

That is how many of them avoid paying taxwes.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RichD</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">there is a lot of Jamaicans who own race horses.
He owned horses before he got the job.
As a matter of example my family own race horses.
you really don't have to be super wealthy to own lots of horses if you have a farm.
For one <span style="font-size: 11pt">every dime spent on a horse farm is tax deductible under the Jamaican tax laws.
Most Jamaican wealthy at least own a share in some tax shelter.
race horses is the tax shelter of the unsophisticated.
You can win tax free money and all your expenses are tax deductible.
</span> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovich</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ovah india post whe mi ha bout him firing..uwi see picture of his house n him talk bout him farm too...

news about his high life an spending is not news..but da da 18yrs all went on cause who was gwine to fyah him..him from whe gi him da job

like mi seh, mi cannot believe dat the people who maligned the 21 families bk in da days live fi come try outdo demon all wile singing betta muss come..dem shoulda qualify dat da betta was gwine to come to juss dem </div></div> </div></div>

why dem need tax shelter when moassa dem not paying tax? </div></div>

[RichD]

Re: Humano , go read bout de giovanna n him race horses

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That is how many of them avoid paying taxwes.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RichD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

why dem need tax shelter when moassa dem not paying tax? </div></div> </div></div>



so doc how does this reconcile with recent disclosure that outside of PAYE filers there were only something like 5000 persons on the tax roles..seems to me that the majority of them just dont file.