Dear Editor,

There have been media reports regarding the concern about Gary Peart’s role as chairman of the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) and CEO of Mayberry Investments, an investor of local gaming stronghold Supreme Ventures, and I am left to question the use of the word ‘dilemma’ with derision.

First of all, I must commend the BGLC for publicly addressing the recently spurred concerns of a possible conflict of interest as it pertains to the highly coveted role Peart holds in both the BGLC and Mayberry Investments.

There have been multiple “issues of concern” of this nature, wherein corporate figures hold interests in two or more organisations which caught public concern, but are yet to be addressed publicly.

Gary Peart for over 20 years has played an integral role within a number of corporate institutions in Jamaica, including his tenure as CEO of Mayberry Investments since 2005. He has served — with a clean slate — as president of the Jamaican Securities Dealers Association, chairman of the Jamaica Bauxite Institute, director of Access Financial Services Limited, Lasco Financial Sevices and the Port Authority of Jamaica.

In my opinion, Peart humbly carries a fine track record of fiscal knowledge and leadership and is the ideal chairman of the BGLC.

It raises great suspicion as to why now, after months of Gary Peart’s appointment as chairman of the BGLC, while remaining as CEO of Mayberry Investments, there is such a great concern or ‘dilemma’. Is this just a case of “covetiousness” or simple rabble-rousing?

I believe Gary Peart has what it takes to bring greater efficiencies to the BGLC while sticking to the organisation’s regulations aimed at building and maintaining fairness and transparency within our local gaming industry.

Concerned

St Andrew