The Editor, Sir:

What is all this fuss about business between the former governor of the Bank of Jamaica and the former government's minister of finance? We've seen it all before and it has taken all these years to put a stop to the costly madness.

A little less than 10 years ago (March 30, 2000) the late Morris Cargill wrote the following in The Gleaner:

"There may be differing opinions about the qualities of Derick Latibeaudiere, but there can be no doubt that the governor of the Bank of Jamaica has a skin as thick as a rhinoceros. Quite apart from any legal considerations, had Derick Latibeaudiere shown any sensitivity concerning the situation confronting him, he would long since have resigned. I also greatly regret that Dr Omar Davies did not understand that he should have given Latibeaudiere a good push.

"Concerning the fat cat brouhaha, nobody has suggested that Latibeaudiere broke any law. But consider this: While Latibeaudiere was not the governor, he was entitled to a car loan and a mortgage with the bank, but the moment he became governor this entitlement ceased. Yet as governor he was found to have both a car loan and a mortgage. There was some kind of excuse/explanation for this, but it was not a good one.

"Then again Latibeaudiere entered into an arrangement whereby he sat down to negotiate with the unions representing the employees of the bank. One can only assume that he also knew that his own salary was to be determined by increases that the employees secured. Here again, this would indicate a profound insensitivity, even if it could not be described as immoral.

"Apart from these considerations, it should be quite clear that a salary of $9 million a year is far too high for a public servant, considering the general low level of wealth in Jamaica. I do not know why Latibeaudiere is now holding on like a limpet to what he considers his rights in spite of his unpopularity and the doubtfulness of his position.

"It seems to me that there is something very odd about a man who puts himself in this position. He appears to think that he is indispensable. Nobody in the whole wide world is indispensable and it would be an unusual conceit to think that he is. Or perhaps because he is being supported by the higher-ups in the PNP he thinks that his position is unassailable."

When will someone be held personally accountable?

I am, etc.,

KEN JONES

Kensjones2002

@yahoo.com