THE MONTHLY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 14 - MARCH 16, 2022 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 4 J’can policewoman suspected of masterminding US$1.7m lottery racket Janet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer LOCAL AUTHORITIES say they are now cooperating with their international counterparts after a Jamaican policewoman attached to the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSO) was jailed in the United States on accusations of being a major player in a lottery scamming operation. She has been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by wire and conspiracy to commit fraud by mail. THE 18-YEAR veteran employed to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Shelian Cherine Allen, who resides in Stonebrook Vista, Trelawny, and is stationed in the parish of St James, is accused of running a lottery scamming organisation that is responsible for fleecing US$1.69 million from mainly elderly victims based in the United States. The cop’s 20-year-old son, who was also under investigation for lottery scamming, was also arrested. Allen is believed to have earned US$128,000 from scamming between 2019 and 2021, under what law enforcement officers in an affidavit have referred to as the‘Allen Lottery Scheme Organisation’. The affidavit was filed against her in the Eastern District Court ofWisconsin in Milwaukee onWednesday, February 2, after months of investigations and admission of guilt by a number of accomplices based in the US. At least one of the 17 vulnerable or elderly victims identified lost her house, plus US$150,000 in the scam, said the report. Allen was detained when she tried to enter Fort Lauderdale in the United States in September 2021. Border control officers were able to confirm her involvement in the crimes based on statements collected from her co-conspirators, the serial number in her iPhone 11 Pro, the IMEI and her phone number. Last week the JCF revealed that the 42-year-old has been suspended with immediate effect following her arrest on Friday. Allen, who was previously suspended by the JCF on corruption allegations over two years ago, was only reinstated in 2021. ON THE RADAR According to reports out of the United States, the policewoman has been on the radar of the US Department of Homeland Security as one of the leaders of the scam since 2020. Monies were traced back to multiple accounts opened by Allen in the US, including a PNC Bank account. She has been travelling between Jamaica and the US for months. The investigation was a collaborative between the Brown County Sheriff ’s Office in Green Bay, Wisconsin; postal inspectors with the US Postal Inspection Service; and law enforcement agencies from the US and Jamaica. NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED ALLEN Gov’t Tables J$912-Billion Budget Dr Nigel Clarke, the minister of finance and the public service, has described the upcoming 2022-23 Budget as a signal of the transition from crisis towards recovery. The medium-term outlook, however, sees lower growth over the next three years towards 2024. “Fortunately, Jamaica has begun the process of recovery from the impact of the pandemic within the reality of the continued transmission of the virus,” Clarke said in tabling the Government’s 2022-23 Budget for parliamentary approval last Thursday. The Estimates of Expenditure will total $912 billion, or 2.1 per cent more than was programmed a year earlier. The recurrent budget will pay wages, salaries, and general operations. Digging deeper into the expenditure sees non-debt expenses at $539 billion, the capital budget at $65.1 billion, and debt service of $307.5 billion. The capital budget will rise 20 per cent to $65 billion. Despite the higher capital spending, the country, however, will not benefit from high growth. That is because even though the capital budget will grow 20 per cent to $65 billion, it is still several times smaller than pre-pandemic levels when the country struggled to grow. In fact, the International Monetary Fund, the island’s key donor agency, expects Jamaica to grow 4.6 per cent in 2021 fiscal year, 2.7 per cent in fiscal 2022, and 1.6 per cent in fiscal 2026. Historically, the capital budget stood at $291.5 billion in 2017-18, dipped to $220 billion in 2018-19, and dipped further to an estimated $72 billion in 2019-20. Going forward, however, towards 2026, the capital budget should grow from $65 billion to $87.2 billion, $95.3 billion, and $100.7 billion. Turning to the ministries and departments, the finance ministry will receive the lion’s share of the 2022-23 Budget at $412.7 billion, mainly to pay down on debt compared to $401 million a year earlier. It was followed by the Ministry of Education and Youth and departments at $122.4 billion, compared to $121 billion a year earlier; the Ministry of Health andWellness at $93 billion, or $7 billion lighter year-on-year; and the Ministry of National Security at $92 billion, from $88 billion in the previous period. Clarke will give his substantive remarks in his Budget presentation on March 8, the third under the cloud of COVID-19 The Government’s plans for 2022-23 ● Economic Growth and Job Creation The long-awaited gazetting of the Cockpit Country Protected Area boundaries will be brought to Parliament. Additionally, the Government will promulgate new legislation to enable the creation and regulation of a National Protected Areas. ● National Security The Government is pressing ahead with the development of several new and revised pieces of legislation, including: 1. Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Bill 2. Corrections Act 3. Enhanced Security Measures Bill 4. Security Personnel Integrity Bill, and 5. National Intelligence and Security Bill ● Education and Youth Work is advancing on amendments to the Education Act, the Children (Adoption of ) (Amendment) Bill, and the Child Care and Protection (Amendment) Bill. ● Agriculture and Fisheries 1. Repeal of the Plants (Quarantine) Act and enactment of the Plant Health Act. 2. Amendment to the Agricultural Produce Act. ● Industry, Investment and Commerce 1. Amendments to Companies Act to strengthen the disclosure of information relating to the beneficial ownership of companies to counter money laundering and terrorism financing. 2. The Insolvency (Amendment) Bill to allow for the rehabilitation of businesses where possible and the prevention of insolvency. 3. The Dangerous Drugs (Cannabis Import, Export, Transit & Trans-shipment) Regulations to facilitate the growth of the cannabis industry for medical, therapeutic and scientific purposes. ● Legal and Constitutional Affairs The Bail Act is viewed as a critical law in need of reform. New provisions will be enacted relating to the grant or denial of bail. ● Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Cabinet has approved amendments to the Domestic Violence Act, and drafting instructions have been issued. The amendments are expected to be passed this legislative year. ● Local Government and Rural Development Legislative priorities for the coming year include finalising the Human Services Bill, the National Solid Waste (Amendment) Bill, and regulations related to the National Solid Waste Management Authority and the Building (Enforcement of Notices and Orders) Regulations. ● Transport and Mining The National Minerals Policy will be repositioned and implemented to include establishing the National Minerals Institute and diversification of the minerals portfolio through the exploitation of non-bauxite mineral resources such as limestone and precious stones. ● Health andWellness The Government says it will commence the largest healthcare infrastructure development undertaken since Independence. Jointly funded by the European Union and InterAmerican Development Bank, the initiative will see upgrades to 13 health facilities comprising three hospitals and 10 health centres. The Spanish Town, St Ann’s Bay, and May Pen hospitals will be upgraded. The following health centres will also be upgraded: Greater Portmore, St Jago Park, Old Harbour, St Ann’s Bay, Ocho Rios, Brown’s Town, May Pen East, May PenWest, Mocho, and the Chapelton Community Hospital. ● Finance and the Public Service The Government will begin implementation of a comprehensive restructuring of public-sector compensation. This will simplify the 325 salary scales and eliminate most of the 185 allowances so that in most cases, compensation will consist of a salary payment only. The Bank of Jamaica will roll out digital currency in 2022 after a successful pilot last year.
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