Brown Burke urges global watchdogs to hold Jamaica to treaty standards
Published:Wednesday | June 4, 2025 | 12:10 AM
Opposition Spokesperson on Foreign and Regional Affairs Dr Angela Brown Burke yesterday urged a number of international organisations, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), to hold Jamaica to high standards on the basis of treaties the country has signed.
About a year ago, Jamaica was removed from the FATF’s grey list. That designation had signalled deficiencies in Jamaica’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures.
Addressing CARICOM, the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and multilateral lending agencies, Brown Burke said Jamaica is known for its democratic traditions and principled foreign policy.
“We urge you not to let any misstep or anything like that tarnish the legacy of Jamaica,” Brown Burke said, adding, “We ask you to continue to hold this and every Jamaican Government to the high standards that we have committed to under international treaties and conventions.”
Continuing, the opposition spokesperson said: “The people of Jamaica deserve your vigilance, your engagement, and your solidarity.”
She also called on Jamaicans to speak out, warning that the integrity of the country’s financial system is at risk.
Her remarks stirred controversy when she claimed that a sitting government MP had breached the 2023 amendment to the Companies Act, which mandates the disclosure of beneficial owners to the Companies Office of Jamaica.
However, House Speaker Juliet Holness stopped Brown Burke in her tracks, warning her to be “very careful about calling out any individual”, noting that “even by saying ‘sitting member’, you are going too far without proof”.
NEED FOR RESPONSIBILITY
She reminded the MP of the privileges granted under parliamentary protection but stressed the need for responsibility.
Brown Burke acknowledged the warning and continued, emphasising the importance of the Companies Act amendment to meeting global anti-money laundering standards.
“The concealment or misrepresentation of beneficial ownership is exactly the type of activity that global watchdogs, like FATF, are aggressively targeting,” she continued.
Tensions escalated when Brown Burke alleged that the Government had undermined good governance with the recent appointment of the new head of the Financial Investigations Division. The House erupted, with Finance Minister Fayval Williams accusing her of misleading Parliament and raising issues outside of the Sectoral Debate’s scope. Government MP Robert Miller also objected, saying that her speaking time had ended.
The Speaker again warned Brown Burke, stating that public servants were appointed by the Services Commission, not by the Government, and that it was inappropriate to challenge their credibility in Parliament. She advised Brown Burke to retract the statement and noted that the appointee’s qualifications were already publicly available.
The uproar follows ongoing controversy over the appointment of chartered accountant Dennis Chung as chief technical director of the FID, which is based in the finance ministry. Critics, including opposition members and civil society groups, argue that his past public comments on two high-profile matters now being investigated by the FID make him unsuitable for the post.
Williams recently defended the process, saying that the Public Service Commission conducted the selection and any attempt by the Government to interfere would be reckless.