Though we have every right to focus on the deluge of scandals shaking our island and making us the laughing stock of most countries, let’s not lose sight of other issues which may come back to bite us one day.

While the spotlight was on Former Minister of Finance Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo, who directly and in an affidavit, accused his colleague, Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance Roshi Bhadain, of having his tentacles everywhere and of using KGB methods to get rid of his enemies, the latter announced to us that he had finally found the rare gem to be appointed as Director of the Integrity Reporting Agency. Clap, clap, clap! “I have a job to do and I will continue doing it,” he said. So the new guy will head an independent institution and will do his work independently. He is a foreigner. Nothing to do with what is going on here. Clap, clap, clap! Congratulations, Minister!

While we, in the press, announced on 11 April that the rare bird had been found and that his name is Paul Keyton, the rare bird had already announced the news on his Linkedin profile as early as March. Well before we, the people whose assets he may decide to freeze for years, knew about it.

But this is not all. Keyton is no stranger to Bhadain. He is a close friend of none other than Andrew Stephenson. Those who have never heard of the latter had better become familiar with the name. Stephenson and Keyton have worked for DCDM – now BDO – for years and when Keyton left in 2000, Stephenson took the lead and Bhadain joined DCDM in 2001 to work alongside Stephenson. And the two have never left each other since.

When Bhadain left DCDM for the ICAC, he took Stephenson with him. Today, it is believed that Stephenson is one of Bhadain’s closest collaborators. Stephenson is everywhere. He has even been spotted in the courtroom at several hearings of the Prakash Maunthrooa case. Many members of the legal profession could not understand why he was there.

Let that sink in!

Now, if you were independently looking for an independent candidate internationally to work independently and be above local politics, out of the seven billion citizens in the world – a certain percentage of whom must qualify – what are the chances of falling on the friend of one’s closest collaborator? What kind of sheer luck has allowed a chartered accountant – admittedly with some experience in combatting fraud at customs – to land this position?

I’m afraid there is nothing in this appointment which will appease the worry that this might once again be a job for the boys. Worse, the perception that we may not have an agency working completely independently of the Ministry of Good Governance is not likely to be enhanced by having at its head someone perceived to belong to the minister’s circle.

At a time when Bhadain is facing serious allegations by his own colleagues, this appointment is unlikely to help restore our trust in our institutions. Many might feel that the elephant has laboured so much to give birth to a sharp-toothed mouse which may chomp at our heels for years. Rather disturbing, really.

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