NOW THAT Don Wehby has severed his ties with GraceKennedy and resigned from other boards of which he was a member, it is time to lay this matter to rest. All reasonable concerns about possible conflicts of interest have now been settled and the new Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance can now focus on the very serious fiscal and monetary challenges which he has inherited. No one can doubt that Mr. Wehby is a person of the highest integrity and competence. We have the fullest confidence that he will conduct himself in his new job with the utmost circumspection.

Mr. Wehby brings to the task an enviable reputation as one of the most highly respected members of the private sector. Of particular note is the fact that his expertise is not confined to the balancing of books. He has been a corporate leader in a broad sense, with a first-hand experience of the challenges which globalisation presents for Jamaican firms and for the national economy as a whole. The country is indeed fortunate that such a talented professional is willing to make the considerable financial sacrifice in order to serve his country. This is greatly to Mr. Wehby's credit.

In the hullabaloo over his appointment, the fact that, as far as we know, Mr. Wehby is not a member of any political party has been glossed over. As he himself put it, for patriotic reasons, he decided to "come off the verandah" and take the plunge into Jamaican public life. He is setting an important example which we hope will be emulated by others on all points of the political spectrum. It would be a real loss if the ripples surrounding his appointment discourage others from also taking the plunge.

Jamaica needs all talented hands on deck if we are to make headway in addressing our many problems. This applies to persons from the corporate sector and to all skilled professionals generally. It is not only a matter of the expertise which such persons bring to their jobs; it is also a matter of leadership in general. No society can progress unless its achievers come forward and act as role models for the society as a whole and the upcoming generation.

In a small society such as ours, the movement of such persons from private professional or corporate life, into the public sector and back, will pose challenges. In the course of such movement, possible conflicts of interest are bound to arise as indeed they did in the past under the previous People's National Party administration. What counts is the principled manner in which we address the issues and the transparency which governs the entire process. We should resist the temptation to personalise these matters in the pursuit of partisan political advantage, for it is the best interests of Jamaica which are at stake.

In this connection, the suggestion of Mr. Danny Williams, who made a similar move as Mr. Wehby in the Michael Manley administration, is worth careful consideration. A small expert group composed of persons with impeccable reputations could be set up to consider the issues and to make recommendations to cover all legitimate concerns. That way, the rules will be clear to all beforehand and unwelcome uncertainties avoided.