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The comments by prominent nationalist, Greg Joughin, in his oration at Hango Hill on January 2nd about the lack of a profile by the Manx police in tackling money laundering echoes comments by the Celtic League, made in May last year, about the Isle of Man Financial Crime Unit.
See Celtic News article at:
The Financial Crime Units metamorphosis from the old Fraud Squad of the 1990s had, we remarked, been somewhat lack-lustre. We noted:
"Much is written about the FCU these days but trawling through this one finds little of substance.
The organisation certainly seems to have gained in size and stature since it was a fairly competent 'one man, a clerk and a borrowed photocopier operation' almost two decades ago. In those days it adopted a fairly high profile in speaking out - sometimes to the discomfort of its political masters - on money laundering and fraud issues."
Commenting on the considerable investment in the Unit by government, we queried if this investment was producing value for money and remarked that its only public profile up to that date seemed to have derived from a series of embarrassing 'own goals'. Reflecting:
"It is unclear however if its subsequent growth, in terms of both personnel and 'swanky' premises, has been complemented by a proportional increase in performance as little can be deduced about what success, if any it achieves. Indeed its image has been slightly overshadowed by its linkage to several high-profile local news stories."
We also commented on the almost amateurish approach by the unit to publicity. Saying:
"The FCU website meanwhile has a somewhat 'PC Pinkerton' appearance about it advising that if you wish to report any - financial crime, such as fraud or theft you should report these directly to your local Neighbourhood Policing Team, or if you reside outside the Isle of Man, to your local police station. - One gets the feeling that anyone facilitating a 'slush fund' via the Isle of Man would not have much to fear!"
Since these comments were made little seems to have changed and it is perhaps time the public received a full breakdown of the costs of this quasi-clandestine 'multi agency unit' (the units own descriptive term).
Perhaps however all is not lost. In the last HMIC report over twelve months ago in a fleeting aside the Inspector records:
"The financial crime unit (FCU) is seen as an excellent resource. The unit is likely to evolve into an agency in its own right where current partnership arrangements can be formalised around an autonomous organisation."
So, almost three decades after the Island started marketing itself as a finance centre and a decade and a half after the Isle of Man gave assurances that it would clean-up the sleazy image of that sector 'the agency' involved in enforcing that clean-up is in a state of evolution. It does not exactly engender confidence!
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
04/01/08
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