The MSME Alliance has joined other major business advocacy groups in demanding greater government transparency regarding an amendment to the job description for the chief technical director (CTD) of the Financial Investigations Division (FID).

In a statement from president Antoinette Hamilton, the alliance agreed with the stance that the “nation deserves transparency in the process surrounding the amendment to the FID’s chief technical director’s job description, in particular, the reason why the law enforcement requirement was removed.”

The representative body for business owners in micro, small and medium-sized subsector emphasised the importance of the government and policymakers setting the right tone for entrepreneurs in terms of good and transparent human resource practices and fostering good employer-employee relationships in the workplace.

“We believe that the tone set at the top has major implications for those who rely on such precedence. The Office of the Service Commission (OSC) should therefore demonstrate its commitment to transparency and best human resource practices,” the MSME Alliance charged.

Major business lobby groups lead call

On Monday (June 30), the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) and Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), in a joint statement, requested that the Office of the Services Commission explain its decision to remove from the job description a criterion for experience in law enforcement following the appointment of chartered accountant Dennis Chung.

Chung has served in several high-level roles in both the public and private sectors, including as general secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), CEO of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, and chairman of the National Solid Waste Management Authority.

“Members of the JCC, along with members of the wider public, have expressed concerns about this appointment. While we do not question Chung’s qualifications or his right to serve, our concern lies with the lack of transparency when asked about the process by which the appointment was made, and the potential implications this may have for public trust in our institutions,” the chamber stated.

“A critical pillar of national development is public confidence in the integrity of state institutions. Equally important is the duty of civil society to remain vigilant and ensure that these institutions continue to earn and maintain that trust. If confidence in our democratic system is to be preserved, openness and accountability are essential – particularly in matters of national significance,” it said further.

To this end, the JCC urged the OSC to justify its decision to remove the requirement for law enforcement experience from the CTD job description, in a bid to preserve the integrity of public service and faith in good governance systems.

Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica President Metry Seaga told the Jamaica Gleaner earlier this week that requests for an explanation on the change to the CTD job description were reasonable. On that basis, Seaga wrote a request for the OSC to meet with the PSOJ and share its rationale for the change.

The calls from the business advocacy groups have intensified following the revelation in another Gleaner article that retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey was selected in the first round of onboarding to head the FID.