Dear Editor,

According to the auditor general’s (AG) report tabled in Parliament, the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) misused its tax-exempt privilege and breached the Customs Act. As such, Jamaicans are once again confronted with a troubling question: What meaning do our laws hold if those entrusted to uphold them can so easily sidestep them?

A recent Jamaica Observer news story ‘No crime, no resign’ highlights the defiant posture of the JACDEN Group of Companies boss Dennis Gordon. It should alarm every Jamaican. A questionable practice repeated over 20 years does not make it lawful; it makes it entrenched.

This revelation raises critical questions that demand answers: Has JACDEN benefited from similar arrangements before or after the AG’s report? Who within UHWI and JACDEN approved these transactions, and do they remain in positions of authority? Silence on these issues only deepens public suspicion.

Gordon has acknowledged that a mistake was made and argues that restitution should count in his favour. It does not. Repayment after the fact cannot erase the breach. If anything, it reinforces a dangerous norm: Benefit first and, if caught, simply repay. That is not accountability; it is convenience.

This pattern is not isolated. JACDEN has already been cited for breaching building permit rules, only to regularise the matter afterwards. The message this sends is deeply corrosive: Compliance is optional until enforcement intervenes. One must ask whether Gordon believes he operates above the law, free to act outside its bounds and correct course only when exposed.

The AG has indicated that the misuse of UHWI’s tax exemption breached the Customs Act, under which false declarations may attract fines or prosecution.

Why was no import permit secured from the Ministry of Health prior to the arrival of the machines? These are not minor oversights, they are fundamental compliance requirements.

Even more troubling is Gordon’s suggestion that, had JACDEN applied properly, a waiver of duties would likely have been granted. If so, why not follow the lawful route from the outset? The answer matters, because it speaks directly to intent, governance, and respect for the rule of law.

At its core, this issue is not merely about one company or one transaction, it is about a culture that tolerates breaches, excuses them as mistakes, and resolves them through post-facto adjustments rather than meaningful consequences. This culture must end.

If Jamaica is serious about integrity and accountability, then the standard must be clear: Compliance is not optional, and restitution is not redemption.

I am calling on Gordon to do the honourable thing and resign as Member of Parliament for St Andrew East Central, forthwith.

Brian Nunes

briannunes712@yahoo.com