Corporate consultant Aubyn Hill. - File

Corporate consultant Aubyn Hill, at the centre of a storm in Trinidad over shake-outs at AIC Financial Group in Trinidad, on Monday swept aside reports that he would have been denied a 'fit and proper' designation if not for the intervention of finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies.

Central bank governor Derick Latibeaudiere did not immediately respond to requests for a comment. Davies was said to be off the island.

No special treatment

Hill was head-hunted in 2002 by billionaire investor Michael Lee Chin to transform loss-making National Commercial Bank. Profits grew by $3.2 billion in 2004 when he departed the bank.

Hill told Wednesday Business that at no point was he told by Jamaican authorities he was not 'fit and proper' to run NCB as alleged in Port-of-Spain; nor did he get special treatment from Davies, saying in any event, the process, under law, would have involved the finance minister.

"My approval came in writing from the Bank of Jamaica," he said.

AIC director Robert Almeda similarly said at no time was AIC advised, neither by the ministry nor the central bank, that Hill had failed to meet its fitness test.

Hill said Monday that reports of attrition within the AIC Financial Group, at least some of them, would have resulted from advice he gave the company's board.

Corporate strategist

"I looked at the expertise and their results and made my recom-mendations," Hill told Wednesday Business. "The board acted in the direction of the recommendation given."

Hill was hired last May by AIC owner Michael Lee Chin, more specifically AIC Barbados, the Canadian fund's regional head-quarters, to turn around the loss-making operation in Port-of-Spain.

"I'm a corporate strategist engaged by AIC Barbados to fix Trinidad," said Hill. "I am still in that role."

business@gleanerjm.com.