OMAR Davies, who was finance minister when the Financial Investigations Division (FID) was formed in 2002, joined his People’s National Party (PNP) Comrades in their demonstration against the appointment of Dennis Chung on Monday, voicing support for the party’s position even as he said he has no difficulty with Chung’s credentials as a chartered accountant.

“He should withdraw,” Davies told the Jamaica Observer.

“Certain things must not only be right but they must seem to be right. I know Dennis Chung; he worked with me at what they called Jamaica Ultimate Tyre Company. I have no difficulty with his accounting credentials [but] this is not simply about accounting. This relates to questions which perhaps lead to criminal charges. I don’t know that he is qualified in that regard,” Davis said amid scores of PNP supporters protesting the appointment outside the finance ministry at National Heroes’ Circle on the same day Chung took up his new role as FID chief technical director.

Jamaica Ultimate Tyre was incorporated on July 24, 2001 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC). Its primary role is to supply the JUTC with retreaded and new tyres at the most economical rates.

The company also markets its products and services to external customers, including other government entities.

“The other problem which a lot of people don’t know is that the FID advises the Ministry of Finance in terms of external financial agreements,” Davies added on Monday.

“If another country seeks follow-up information in that regard, they would contact the Ministry of Finance and the FID would be the entity which would investigate this. There are some who say there are allegations that relate to overseas transactions. What then happens when those charges are brought to the FID with someone who has a declared position? To prevent placing Chung in a situation where he is compromised, it is best he should withdraw,” Davies said.

His reference was to the PNP’s claim that Chung displayed bias in his comments on the Integrity Commission’s report on the statutory declarations of Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness. The commission has recommended that both the FID and Tax Administration Jamaica examine aspects of Holness’s financial affairs.

Mark Golding, the PNP president and Opposition leader, suggested that Chung’s appointment was done to cover Holness.

“The prime minister has problems. The Integrity Commission has investigated him and they are not satisfied with their findings. They have not been able to certify his annual declarations as being in good order. They have referred the matter for further investigation to the Financial Investigations Division, a critical law enforcement investigative agency. There are a whole lot of issues at stake,” Golding said.

He pointed to a number of issues raised in the commission’s report, among them the fact that companies associated with Holness filed nil returns with the tax department.

Golding also raised questions about the prime minister’s Positive Jamaica Foundation and said the allegations are of a serious nature.

“You cannot have a man who is defending the person under investigation being put in charge of the agency that is tasked with doing the investigation. There is clear conflict of interest. There is manifest bias, and furthermore the very requirements for the post were deliberately watered down so as to facilitate the outcome of his appointment,” Golding said.

“Jamaica must stand up against the erosion of good governance, this defilement of principle, and that is why we are gathered here today to state to the Jamaican people that we do not support this. Time come for good governance in the country. Time come for a Government that is above board. Time come for a new Government that the people can have trust and confidence in, that can rescue Jamaica from the corruption and mire of bad governance in which Jamaica is now enmeshed,” Golding said.

His comments were supported by PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell who pointed out that two years ago the Integrity Commission reported that six parliamentarians were being investigated for illicit enrichment.

He said he found it questionable that after the matter was raised in a committee meeting and on other occasions by journalists a gag order was implemented, preventing people from speaking about it.