FINSAC Commission Rejects Don Crawford’s Return

KINGSTON — Chairman of the FINSAC Commission of Enquiry, Worrick Bogle, says former head of Century National Bank (CNB), Don Crawford, will not be recalled to give evidence at the enquiry.

Mr. Bogle told the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) following Thursday's August 4 sitting at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, that the Commissioners would not recall Mr. Crawford, after his attorney, Anthony Levy, refused to follow their instructions to proceed to cross examination on Wednesday July 27.

Following Mr. Crawford's appearance on June 7 via video from Atlanta, Georgia where he is now living in the U.S., he was scheduled to reappear on July 27. However, that morning there was a difference of opinion between Mr. Levy and Commissioners Bogle and Charles Ross on whether his examination was completed on his first appearance.

Mr. Levy insisted that he had not concluded his examination, while the Commissioners said that Mr. Crawford had gone through the entire statement he had submitted to them. When the Commissioners refused to allow Mr. Levy to resume his examination, Mr. Crawford followed his attorney’s advice to “walk away from the Commission”, claiming “bias, prejudice and discrimination”.

On Thursday, attorney Dave Garcia, who represents former Financial Sector Adjustment Company (FINSAC) boss, Patrick Hylton, suggested that the Commissioners disregard Mr. Crawford's testimony, since there would be no opportunity for them to cross examine him.

He was supported by the attorney for FINSAC, Brian Moodie, who said that documents available on the history of CNB’s legal battles with FINSAC, including a 2005 ruling by the Privy Council in England, “demonstrated that statements he made at the enquiry are inaccurate”.

“His evidence is replete with wild and unfounded accusations and allegations,” Mr. Moodie insisted.

Mr. Bogle said that the Commission has not yet made up its mind about how it will handle Mr. Crawford’s submission, but will make its decision known in its report.

By BALFORD HENRY, JIS Reporter & Editor