"Tainted Money" - Politics

The headline in the Sunday Observer, March 21, 2010 Rich Jamaican Businessman under US Probe must be sending off alarm bells throughout the newly monied interests in Jamaica. Bangarang once again!

Recall the "tainted money" saga in the JLP's internal elections which saw the young turks gaining office. That eventually paved the way for Bruce Golding's return and the ousting of Seaga from the helm.

Then the general election 2007 which saw a very expensive campaign being waged by the Golding - led JLP for some two years. Money flowed from both foreign and domestic sources.

There was little or no concern expressed as to the nature or source of such funds.  The main focus was amount and flow.  UFO's including Cash Plus and Olint were involved. 

The end result was that the Golding-led JLP barely eked out a win (less than a 3000 vote margin) despite the massive injection of cash into its campaign.

Now there is the Brady factor and questions being raised as to the source of the funding to lobby US officials.  The FBI is reported as having an interest.

As if that was not enough, it has been revealed that the US has interests in those who have amassed enormous wealth under the JLP Government.  

• Could the same set of players have been involved to a greater or lesser extent in all these financially tainted activities?
• Has Jamaica become one of the world's leading money laundering facilities?
• Is this the classic case of dirty money and political power?

We are now having our dirty (and tattered) underwear hung out for the international public to view and smell.