Carolyn Cooper | Every day devil help tief . . .

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Old-time people seh, ‘Every day devil help tief; one day, God wi help watchman.’ A dat wi tell wiself fi mek wi feel lickle better when wi see how di tief dem a go chroo. Dem a tief, tief, tief, left, right an centre. An dem nah get ketch. Wi ongle hope seh one day, one day, dem luck a go run out. Wi done know seh time longer dan rope. It might a tek a long-long time fi tie up di tief dem. But dem nah get weh. Wi know seh God nah sleep.

Koo pon di attaclaps a Stocks and Securities Ltd (SSL)! Di Financial Services Commission (FSC) suppose fi be di watchman a mek sure seh tings a run right a SSL. Ascorden to fi dem website, “The FSC has responsibility to manage proper administration of the securities and insurance laws. In doing so the FSC oversees the registration, solvency and conduct of firms and individuals doing business in the securities and insurance (Life and General) industries.”

From way back inna 2017, FSC did write one report bout SSL. Dem seh “mismanagement of client funds” did a gwaan. Dem time, FSC did a do dem watchman work. SSL get jumpy. Ascorden to di report, SSL seh, “A suspension of the company’s dealer licence, even for a day, would inevitably lead to a total destruction of the company.” Pon top a dat, SSL claims seh di whole a di financial system inna Jamaica would a crash if FSC did tek weh fi dem licence. Wat a way dem powerful!

WHOLE HEAP A TIEFIN A SSL

FSC tell SSL seh dem ha fi do seven tings fi kip dem licence. From wat mi get fi understand, FSC never put out nuh report bout wa SSL did do fi kip dem licence. Dat a top secret. A when di big story buss dis month bout di whole heap a tiefin a SSL, dat a when FSC ha fi bow an call press conference fi mek di country know wa a gwaan a SSL.

But, ascorden to one Gleaner report weh come out Wednesday gone, wi nuh find out nutten. Di lawyer fi FSC, Donia Fuller-Barrett, “recited various parts of the law that she said restricted what the FSC can tell the public about how it was protecting investors from entities with longstanding issues.

“As a result, the public is no clearer on what exactly the FSC did, despite its notices of suspension issued to SSL up to 2017, or what happened after the agency was given another opportunity to satisfy concerns.” Seet deh now! It look like seh di devil did a work overtime a SSL a help di tief dem. An di watchman, FSC, never waah nuh help from God fi ketch nuh tief. Wa mek?

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Uol-taim piipl se, ‘Evri die devl elp tiif; wan die, Gad wi elp wachman.’ A dat wi tel wiself fi mek wi fiil likl beta wen wi si ou di tiif dem a go chruu. Dem a tiif, tiif, tiif, lef, rait an senta. An dem naa get kech. Wi ongl uop se wan die, wan die, dem lok a go ron out. Wi don nuo se taim langa dan ruop. It maita tek a lang-lang taim fi tai op di tiif dem. Bot dem naa get we. Wi nuo se Gad naa sliip.

Ku pan di aataklaps a Stocks and Securities Ltd (SSL)! Di Financial Services Commission (FSC) sopuoz fi bi di wachman a mek shuor se tingz a ron rait a SSL. Azkaadn tu fi dem websait, “The FSC has responsibility to manage proper administration of the securities and insurance laws. In doing so the FSC oversees the registration, solvency and conduct of firms and individuals doing business in the securities and insurance (Life and General) industries.”

Fram wie bak ina 2017, FSC did rait wan ripuot bout SSL. Dem se “mismanagement of client funds” did a gwaan. Dem taim, FSC did a du dem wachman wok. SSL get jompi. Azkaadn tu di ripuot, SSL se, “A suspension of the company’s dealer licence, even for a day, would inevitably lead to a total destruction of the company.” Pan tap a dat, SSL kliemz se di uol a di finanshal sistim ina Jamieka wuda krash if FSC did tek we fi dem laisn. Wat a wie dem powaful!

UOL IIP A TIIFIN A SSL

FSC tel SSL se dem a fi du sevn tingz fi kip dem laisn. Fram wat mi get fi andastan, FSC neva put out no ripout bout wa SSL did du fi kip dem laisn. Dat a tap siikrit. A wen di big stuori bos dis mont bout di uol iip a tiifn a SSL, dat a FSC a fi bou an kaal pres kanfrens fi mek di konchri nuo wa a gwaan a SSL.

Bot, azkaadn tu wan Gleaner ripout we kom out Wenzde gaan, wi no fain out notn. Di laaya fi FSC, Donia Fuller-Barrett, “recited various parts of the law that she said restricted what the FSC can tell the public about how it was protecting investors from entities with longstanding issues.

“As a result, the public is no clearer on what exactly the FSC did, despite its notices of suspension issued to SSL up to 2017, or what happened after the agency was given another opportunity to satisfy concerns.” Siit de nou! It luk laik se di devl did a wok ovataim a SSL a elp di tiif dem. An di wachman, FSC, neva waahn no elp fram Gad fi kech no tiif. Wa mek?

For an English translation, visit https://carolynjoycooper.wordpress.com/

- Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a teacher of English language and literature and a specialist on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com