"DBJ must be allowed to act without Ministerial interference" - Phillips

Finance Minister Dr. Peter Phillips has deplored the criticism that was aimed at him by Audley Shaw, Opposition Spokesman on Finance, for the write-off by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) of a debt which was owed by the theme park - Outameni Experience.

The write-off  took place in 2013, but, as it turned out, this decision was made as far back as 2011, under the Administration of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), in which Mr. Shaw was a Minister. The DBJ was then an agency of the Office of the Prime Minister.

Mr. Shaw, apparently not realising that the decision was made during his Party's last term in office, sought to hold Dr. Phillips accountable for it, during his address at the JLP's Annual Conference on November 16.

The matter was subsequently clarified by the DBJ, in a public statement.
   
Dr. Phillips, when asked to comment on the issue, said the DBJ's Board made decisions, based on the status of  the debt, and should be allowed to make such decisions without interference by the Minister.

He said it was not brought to his attention when the decision was being made to write off the debt.

"I certainly wouldn't want to have a say on each decision that the Board is taking regarding specific accounts. In fact, I think that would be a recipe for bad governance," he said.