Listening to a presentation made by the Hon Arnhem Eustace: the leader of the New Democratic Part, the leader of the parliamentary opposition and the most trusted politician there is in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as well as the Caribbean shocked me when I learn of the very unethical and possible illigal events that he brought to the public’s attention. These events relate to the irregular flow of United States currency into St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the months of October and November 2009, and the people who were associated with such activities. According to the information presented by the Hon. Arnhem Eustace, who fearlessly made a publicly declaration and identified people by name; people who the Vincentian community including myself know to be, key members of the Unity Labor Party or associates of the Ralph Gonsalves and his Unity Labor Party.
It is no secret that Government all over the world, have update their laws to guard against money laundering and other financial crimes. In the same breath banks all over the world have upgraded their policies and operational guidelines to guard against money laundering and other financial crimes, for these crimes has certain level of brutality, commercial, economical and other adverse repercussions associated to such criminal activities.
It is not surprising to me, that such movement of monies occurred around the time just prior to the people going to the poles to vote in a referendum on Constitution reform neither is it surprising that the people associated with such activities are members of, and persons who are associated with the Ralph Gonsalves Unity Labor Party.
It is important that an expected degree of consistency is practice in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, not one set of laws, rules and exemptions for a particular group and their associates and another set of laws and rules for the remainder of us. This is not only Dishonest it is unethical and unconstitutional.
We all knows that if any citizen of St. Vincent goes to the bank to make a deposit of a certain amount, before that bank can accept that money, the person making that deposit is required to declare to the bank the source of the money and if the person making that deposit cannot declare such source or after having declare the source of the money the teller is not satisfy that the source of the money is a legitimate source; he must informed his supervisor who should in turn inform the police.
We must also understand that a business man and/or woman who conduct business within St. Vincent and the Grenadines, are expected to deposit large amounts of money of up to a certain amount; as proceeds derived from his or her business and the amount that is accepted as a deposit is base on the nature and expected daily turnover of the business. It is important to note that anytime a businessman try to make a deposit that is beyond that of the capacity of his business or an amount that is an exorbitant amount over his regular deposit, that deposit should not be accepted, senior bank official should be informed and if management is not satisfy with the source of the money or the source if the money do not meet the banks stipulation the police should be informed of the matter.
It is important to note that the US dollars are not official currency of trade in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and when members of the public goes to any financial institution to exchange foreign currency above a certain amount the source of that funds should be declared; for to exchange such large volume of currency without validating the source of the monies may be in violation of regulation that governs the banks in St. Vincent and the world over.
It is important that a National Bank of any country be the hallmark standard, leading the other banks that operates in that country in the implementation of policies that will ensure the laws of the land are not broken, to ensure the depositors’ monies are secure and the management and staff are men and women of high ethical conviction and practice. With this in mind let us examine the activities that have been going on at the National Commercial Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the association of the people who are involved.
According to the information, one million US dollars cash came into St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and this money has possible ties to the Unity Labor Party; however this money was not deposited into an account but was exchange for East Caribbean currency. Can you imagine a person walking around with over 2.5 million plus EC dollars in a case a sack or whatever container the money was transported in?
It is said that Julian Francis the close cousin of Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, a prominent member of the Unity Labor Party (ULP) of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who also holds the appointed office of senator and is also a minister in the Ralph Gonsalves Unity Labor Party Government, have been involved in irregular movement of United States Currencies over the pass month, it was brought to the attention of the community that; Minister Julian Francis has exchange the sum of Forty nine thousand, six hundred ($49.600 US) United States dollars between October 22nd 2009 and November 2nd 2009. Was it coincident that Mr. Francis has come into such large amount of money in such a short period of time in the allotted quantities?
showed up to the National Commercial bank on five different occasion between the 30th October 2009 and the 13th November 2009, to exchange twelve thousand nine hundred (12,900.00) US dollars.
These irregular transactions have awakened my sense of smell, a fishy odor is detected and the odor is associated and is coming from these transactions. I will never asked any of my friend to lie or to do anything illegal on my behalf, not even if such lie will get me out of trouble, I will never asked my children or a person I am dating to lie or do anything illegal for me no matter how desperate I am. So you can understand my concern for Eloise Gonsalves, I hope that the man will not be so low as to get this woman involved in anything illegal, dishonest or unethical; after all, someone in the Prime Minister’s home should represent what is good and decent about people; it is the only way the hand of dishonesty can be slowed when they has a conscience outside of their own to appeal to his lack of ethic, justice and morals.
The only people who travel with or cause such large quantities of cash/monies to be transported from place to place are drug dealers, money launderers, hit men, embezzlers, people who are trying to avoid paying taxes, and people who are involved in other illegal or dishonest activities.
There are to many safe means of getting large sums of money from counties to countries, and it is only a person who is trying desperately to hide a paper trail will go through such trouble to avoid using the safe system that is in place to move such large volume of cash. It is in times like these we need integrity legislation to ensure that the men who love to abuse the authority that is associated with their office are kept in check and pay the consequences of their actions.
Arnhim Eustace the people's and the country's guardian has a number of question he asked in the house of Parliament; questions if the Prime Minister answer, would incriminated him and the other who participated in the questionable transactions; however, I have a few questions of my own, that I will like to have answer to, and they are:
- Why didn’t the people involved in the trade of the US currency use another bank beside the National Commercial Bank?
- Did the bank worker who facilitated the transaction follow the banking protocol in each case?
- Who was responsible for approving Julian Francis’ transactions?
- Who was responsible for approving the transaction that involved the one million US dollars, did that person followed the Bank protocol?
- Will the financial crime unit be looking into these transactions?
- Where and from whom these monies came?
- Why the source of the funds did not cause the monies to be wired to St. Vincent or why didn’t they use a cashier’s check or some other lawful, safe and convenient means to ensure the money arrived at its destination safe?
- On face value these transactions seems as if they are in violation of some local, regional and international laws. Are they?
Some will want to treat us like Fools and try to have us believed that the monies were gift given by Vincentian at home. Will I living in St. Vincent making a donation to the Unity Labor Party, is going to go out of my way to secure US currency to give them? Or I will give them the equivalent to the US in EC after all the monies are going to be spent here. Would I be so foolish as to go to the bank and purchase US dollars at a rate of all most $2.90 EC for a dollar to have the Unity Labor Party exchange the said money at $2.66 dollars per dollar. This is foolish, dumb and nonsensical!!!!
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