Senior RJR broadcaster Ralston Hyman is good at his craft, but does he have to constantly lambast and pillory his friend Dennis Chung?

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Hyman has poured cold water on Dennis Chung taking up the appointment as chief technical director of the Financial Investigations Division (FID), declaring him unsuitable and unfit for the job.

Every opportunity he gets, he espouses why his “friend” Dennis Chung should refuse to accept the position with this government financial agency, citing his closeness to Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and lack of objectivity.

But doesn’t this do a disservice to Chung’s professionalism? William Mahfood, who heads Wisynco, is one of the best operators out there and is well regarded for his equanimity and for reading situations well. He recalled his time as head of the PSOJ when he worked with Chung and lauded the chartered accountant’s professionalism and acumen.

Asked does Chung’s lack of investigative experience disqualifies him for the post, Mahfood reasoned that what one should look for is the ability to lead an institution rather than have one specific skill set or speciality.

Hyman insists that whoever holds that position must have a background in matters pertaining to investigating financial crimes, money laundering, data breaches and such. He also went on to say that Chung was unlikely to bring the full weight of the FID in determining Holness’ unresolved statutory declarations and his unexplained wealth.

Hyman went further, saying Chung was a protégéof his and that it was he who brought him into sitting on boards and holding positions in government agencies.

If that is the case, then he would be aware of Chung’s abilities and would have had enough time to assess his character. The talk show host has taken umbrage with Chung giving the prime minister a pass on holding 28 bank accounts.

He has nothing good to say about Chung’s career to date and how he has distinguished himself at both private and public sector entities. He has not remarked that the sum of Chung’s experiences might just make him suitable for this new role. Hyman constantly belittles Chung’s assessments as a commentator and as an analyst on media platforms.

It begs the question, why does Ralston Hyman have so much antipathy toward Dennis Chung?

The mild-mannered chartered accountant and senior executive is not given to verbosity, never makes unsubstantiated pronouncements, is for the most part, even-keeled and thoughtful. But this is never to Ralston Hyman’s liking. Is it because Chung is continually on the ‘up-and-up escalator’, whereas Hyman just can’t seem to get on?

It is most intriguing.

To Dennis Chung’s credit, he has never looked to retort at Hyman’s objections to him, his instinct is not to hit back. He takes it all in his stride. 

The way Hyman sees it, Chung’s views on the Jamaican economy and his assessments are rubbish and not worthy of consideration. Perhaps only he on Power 106 should be listened to.

Speaking on Colin Bell’s show earlier this year on the subject of whether Jamaica was technically in a recession, Hyman dismissed Chung’s assessment and discredited him. His riposte had Colin Bell in a fit of giggles when he pointed out to Hyman that Dennis Chung doesn’t hold the view that Jamaica is in a recession.

“He doesn’t know what he is talking about. When you are talking to me, quote man like Larry Summers and real economists. Dem man (Dennis Chung) just try a ting. Dem man are charlatans.”

All right then. “Such condescension“, as William Thackeray put it in Vanity Fair.

 Hyman has always had it in for Chung, and the snake’s bite is full of venom.

The purpose of the chief technical director of the FID reads: “The incumbent will guide the strategic, operational and administrative policies, programmes and systems of the FID/ARA in combating money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing, corruption and recovering assets obtained from crime or used in the commission of crime.

“The incumbent is the chief policy advisor to the political directorate on the issuance of financial crimes and formulates appropriate relationships to satisfy Jamaica’s international obligations.”

What must be paid attention to here is the opening sentence- the incumbent will GUIDE THE STRATEGIC, OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND SYSTEMS OF THE FID. This is why Dennis Chung was brought in. There have been other senior leaders at the FID who did not have investigative experience, yet the agency did not collapse. Why should it be with Chung in the technical director’s seat?

This will be a nine-day wonder. By this time next week, the bloggers, vloggers and all the YouTube “in the know commentators” would have moved on…. And Dennis Chung will get his head down and get on with the job he has been appointed to do. He always has.