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Pickersgill vs Obama, on "Political ethics"

Reacting to today's headline in the Gleaner Online 'No moral obligation to refund Olint money - PNP" I was rather disturbed by the stance of Robert Pickersgill, the chairman of the governing People's National Party (PNP), who said his party, at this time, was not committed to refunding campaign donations it received from Olint, a Ponzi scheme that was operated by confessed fraudster David Smith.  Click here to read the full story in  the Gleaner.

Going forward, Chairman Pickersgill should reconsider his party’s stance on refunding Olint money; or at minimum, establish some ethical parameters regarding campaign funding.   Good stewardship is rooted in moral and ethical leadership, values that will be crucial for the nation-building that lies ahead.
 
Here are a few examples by President Obama on "Political ethics":

President Obama returns campaign contributions from Jon Corzine: President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign has returned campaign contributions from Jon S. Corzine, former chairman and chief executive officer of MF Global Holdings Ltd., according to a Democratic official. Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/uUN689

Obama campaign returning contributions from donors tied to fugitive: President Barack Obama's re-election campaign said Tuesday it is returning about $200,000 in donations collected by two Chicago men after a newspaper report described their brother as a fugitive with alleged links to violence and corruption in Mexico. http://bit.ly/MWqnRm

 
[ vonergy ] on Jun 15, 2012
 
politics Pickersgill Obama Morals Ethics
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Comments (9)

I think that the money will have to be returned by both parties. How can you forget that you were given one million or two million US dollars? It is preposterous. These politicians tell lies first and then at a last resort they tell half truths. They need to be terminated like cockroaches. Only in Jamaica, only here. I would want to think that the point of checking the Ponzi money is to recover it in an effort to return the funds to the people who invested in the scheme. Why would the Ponzi money be traced if they did not have any intention to get it to give back to the people who had invested in the scheme?
by ND on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 - 14:54
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They will do it every time until us of civic-minded individuals stand up and say it’s time to end. For too long us the many have been bullied by the few who does not share our nationalistic views and whose only aim is to serve their party.
by Howard Hamilton on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 - 17:02
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I did read the article, but I start to feel that most of our people in public office are not deserved to represent Jamaica and its people. The people that control the party known no better, we are left with a decayed moral system. Although at the time when David smith started that Business in Jamaica it was the PNP finance Minister allow that illegal investment to have taken place in Jamaica. During that time the develop countries were using seven percent as a ceiling for investment.
by Frank Asphall on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 - 17:02
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Honestly though why should any well-thinking Jamaican be surprised about Pickergill's statement? The JLPNP leadership had misled Jamaica for numerous years. One, at this time should not believe good morals, transparency and truthfulness are part of their governance. Actually, there is no checks and balances in our government. They are hustling tribalists, whom seem incapable of using institutions to govern wisely. They already knew there are no punishments for their blatant missteps. They control the compliant old boy club legal system; so none of them will ever be incarcerated for their crimes. The Jamaican electorate acts like little social limiting morons by continually selecting these corrupt, incompetent recycled nincompoops to lead the country. Is this where they say: "a country gets the government it deserves?"
by S. Reklaw on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 - 17:01
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Bobby Pickersgill is a lawyer...he sould know that the proceeds of a Ponzi scheme is illict money...as a matter of fact he does know...to mix a morality argument with a Political donation is sacriligous...but coming from the PNP nothing applies to them that makes sense to thinking minds...So to the Attorney general who Practised law in the USA...what is the Legality...please advise Bobby...remember the AG is a member of Parliment and benefited Directly or inderectly from the $1,000,000.00 us donation for his campaign..Maybe Rev Phinn can give them some moral advice...
by John christian on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 - 11:15
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Don't be surprised. The PNP does not take responsibility for anything. For example when Portia was asked about the Trafigura issue her infamous words were "ASK THE PNP". Furthermore, she was recently tackled about the Olint issue and her response was "I AM NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE". I cannot deal with this gutter party for five years. We need a revolution.
by Lipton Matthews on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 - 18:21
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Don't you all realize that the country is in big financial problems and that we are being taxed more and more. The dollar is sliding as we speak, inflation is predicted by the Bank of Jamaica at 12% this year, and we don't know what the IMF is going to demand at this time. When are we going to awake from our apathy and indifference and start the debt reduction fund and get people to contribute to it. We need to bring down this debt little by little and the only way to do it is for the people to unite.
by Fay on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 - 16:27
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This only goes to show the level of corruption that exist in Ja. political circle, and it will not get better, shame on them. Going forward, it would be a blessing in disguise to extradite people with these type of behavior to the USA to teach them a lesson
by Hugh on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 - 16:18
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The truth as I see it Olint was a household name in our heart and to ask for refunds from our political. Parties is futile Let us pit in place systems to prevent any repccurrence
by byng on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 - 16:09
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