NIA and JAMP question Chung's FID appointment

Two local anti-corruption organisations, National Integrity Action (NIA) and Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal (JAMP), have joined in raising concerns about the appointment of accountant Dennis Chung as Chief Technical Director at the Financial Investigations Division (FID).

In separate statements to the media on Thursday, NIA and JAMP expressed concern, particularly, about the transparency of the appointment.

JAMP questioned Chung's qualification for the post.

It noted that while he is a qualified chartered accountant, "there are no known indications" of prior experience in complex forensic investigations involving politically exposed persons, leading or managing law enforcement or financial crime teams, working in anti-money laundering or asset recovery fields or navigating cross-border mutual legal assistance or Financial Action Task Force (FATF)/Egmont standards.

JAMP said "notwithstanding the FID’s employment of talented forensic accountants, analysts, and investigators, its institutional strength extends to whether the Head brings the requisite competencies to critically assess their output and set investigative priorities with legal procedural and strategic implications in mind."

It further stated that in addition to the breadth of experience and competencies for leading the division, the role of chief technical director of the FID demands the highest level of independence and impartiality.

JAMP said it has concerns, given Chung’s public comments about the Integrity Commission’s reports into matters that were referred to the FID in 2024.

In a September 18 news article published by Nationwide Radio, Chung questioned the “relevance” of some findings in the report, including the movement of millions of dollars among companies linked to Holness and how a company with limited income provided a $20-million loan to another linked entity.

“You don’t have to lend money like that. [You] can lend money by basically being a guarantor, you know, taking it in one name and sending it to another company. There are some things there that I’m still trying to understand the conclusion from it, because I think there are still some things missing,” he said.

For its part, NIA said while Chung's dedication to service and Jamaica is unquestionable, his previous statements on the Integrity Commission’s report raise legitimate questions regarding his objectivity.

"As a former Chairman of NATIONAL INTEGRITY ACTION, we are confident that he appreciates the validity of these concerns," NIA said.

Arguing that the "implications of this appointment are far-reaching", NIA said perceived bias or a lack of transparency in the selection process may significantly undermine public trust in the Financial Investigations Division and its ability to conduct impartial inquiries.

"Concerns about Mr Chung’s objectivity raise legitimate doubts regarding the integrity of the investigation into the Prime Minister’s report from the Integrity Commission, which, in turn, influences how both the public and key stakeholders perceive the findings," NIA asserted.

NIA said it was, therefore, strongly urging the Government to provide full transparency on the selection process and criteria used in appointing the head of the FID.

JAMP went further in also requesting that the Government consider the need for legislative reform to codify competency standards for this

critical position, if none exists.

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