The Editor, Sir:

Having read the latest reports relating to David Smith and Olint, please permit me space to make a few observations, along with publicly asking Mr Smith and his lawyers a few questions, especially now when Mr Smith appears to be in communicado.

Having given club members a detailed payment schedule of how monies owed would be repaid, is it not coincidental that his assets were 'frozen' the very next business day after payments were to have commenced? A cynical mind would see this as great timing to Smith's benefit as it buys him time and allows him to again blame a third party for his inability to pay.

Cliff Hughes read an email on Nationwide which he stated was allegedly written by David Smith to his wife Tracey in which the writer stated, among other things, that Olint was unable to pay its club members at present and had been less than forthright in earlier dealings. Smith called into the programme to deny that he was the author of any such email after which Hughes stuck to guns.

Why is it that David Smith needed a high-level legal team to make a statement to his club members? Having heard that his legal team was en route to meet with him, I, for one, anticipated a statement about the probe in his business affairs and was shocked to see that the only substance emanating from their statement was that club members would have to wait at least another nine months to receive payments.

Notwithstanding the above, if it is true that Smith and Olint had the money to repay all members as he has constantly stated two weeks ago, why is the nine months needed? One would simply have expected a statement saying that once the assets were no longer frozen, he would revert to the last payment plan he put forth. Again, where has this nine months come from?

The statement said that Mr and Mrs Smith have never "used" club members' money for their "personal" use. Fair enough, but it makes no mention of whether Olint has sufficient money to cover its liabilities although, I suppose, the extra nine months being mentioned suggest it does not. If that is true, where is the money?

David Smith, now more than ever, needs to come out and communicate with his club members and provide the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Hiding behind statements put forth by high-powered legal teams is not the way to go and will only foster further distrust and speculation.

Many have made millions due to Smith and Olint and if bad decisions, or bad transactions, resulted in the club having lost money we need to know.

We need to hear from Smith, who clearly is not shy of the press as proven by the many photo ops, and interviews, given in the past.

Over to you, Mr Smith!

I am, etc.,

DESIREEN LAWRENCE

dessieinjamdown@yahoo.com