DEFENDING THE NUMBER’S MEN 

The Tribune (and its racist columns carried a story in the Business Section written by Neil Hartnell) was causing alarm because the Government appears to have entered preliminarily into an arrangement with Pete Deveaux who is one of the number’s men and  is the grandson of the former Number’s Man Percy Munnings.  Mr. Munnings was the PLP’s treasurer. The deal is to build a facility for the entry of goods by air into the country.  It is turning that facility into the hands of the private sector.  Now there were immediate arguments from the private sector that this was going to increase costs to them and there is a big row about that.  Mr. Deveaux himself asked The Tribune to speak to the Ministry of Finance.  It is legitimate criticism for there to be disagreements over whether the functions should be privatized.  Our argument is that The Tribune seems to be making a fuss about the fact that Pete Deveaux is a number’s man and close to the PLP, as if there something morally wrong with him getting an opportunity.  There is nothing immoral about gambling.  There is nothing illegal.  But the PLP legitimized the business and with the stroke of a pen converted underground wealth into overground wealth and caused a new set of Black entrepreneurs.  That is a laudable thing. Whether Mr. Deveaux gets his deal is another matter. But there is nothing wrong with Mr. Deveaux or any of the other number’s men.