You know, sometimes I wonder if we as Jamaicans, are thinking straight.
Take the case of Mr. Don Wehby, the new Jamaican Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.
Here we have an excellent case of someone from the private sector, who wants to give his services and expertise to Jamaica and we're killing him emotionally and with our mouths, before his seat as Cabinet Minister, is even warm.
Over the past few days, from Friday, September 14, 2007 and stemming from Opposition Leader, Mrs. Portia Simpson-Miller's assumption that kickbacks will be given to Grace Kennedy Ltd. as a result of Mr. Wehby being paid by them, while him being Minister, some members of the media have been on a " Sicke Don Wehby" campaign.
(In Jamaica, we use the words "sicke him", to a dog, when we want it to attack someone.)
Mr. Don Wehby has come into the Jamaican government, on secondment from Grace Kennedy Ltd. for two years. (He was CEO of Grace Kennedy Ltd. and wants to serve Jamaica, by helping to turn Jamaica's finances around.)
From what Mr.Wehby's peers in the private sector claim, Mr. Wehby is a financial genius: he apparently was very instrumental in generating some serious profits for Grace Kennedy Ltd., during his tenure there.
With Jamaica's debt being in the region of $967 million Jamaican dollars, Jamaica really needs to be transformed, financially, which is why I believe that Mr. Wehby will play a critical role in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.
But what the media seems to be concerned with is that a portion of Mr. Wehby's pay will be paid by Grace Kennedy Ltd.
(Grace is Jamaica's largest company in terms of annual revenues. They have offered to pay Mr. Wehby, as their contribution to Jamaica's development. Grace has also decided to do this, since Mr Wehby's Government Minister's salary, would by no means compare to his previous salary at Grace.)
The Financial Sector is also worried that this situation presents a possible conflict of interest, as Grace is a major player in the Financial Sector and may be given kickbacks because of Mr. Wehby's seemingly employ to them.
So, depending on which media house you listen to, one day you may hear that Mr. Wehby has resigned from Grace and its boards. You also hear that he will be on secondment to the government for 2 years, after which he will be appointed as Grace's Chief Financial Officer.
The next day you hear that he has completely resigned and will not be paid by Grace Kennedy at all.
The media has been having a field-day with this, and only stopped harping on this story today, when the headlines were replaced by a major occurrence, in the parish of St. Thomas, of police brutality.
What I find alarming, though, is that there has been no effort from the new Jamaican government, to clarify Mr.Wehby's present relationship with Grace.
Since this is the case, I would humbly suggest that Mr. Wehby resign from Grace and have no financial attachments to them, in order to quell this, "Sicke Don Wehby" campaign.
He also needs to let us know that he has done this.
He also needs to tell Jamaicans, that since he has always done his job with the absolute professionalism and highest proficiency, he's willing to be paid a basic salary, but will get a bonus, based on the percentage of the revenue he brings in to the country or the amount of debt that he decreases.
This, I think, is the only way that the nation (including the media) will be at ease, about him acting in the nation's best interest.
In fact, I believe that all government Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and consultants to the government, should be paid a basic salary and paid a bonus, when the objectives that they have set, to enhance Jamaica's development, are achieved.
What do you think?
(I want to thank Flora Braz, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, for providing the Photo that accompanies this post.)
Gillian
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