I am not always right. In fact, I am wrong probably as many times I am right.

When I am wrong I am not afraid to say I am sorry. There is no point ploughing on ahead on a false assumption when you know it is false.

In an Editorial I wrote on May 1st “Suckoo files motion to allow bank-to bank transactions” I praised the MLA after castigating him for leaving the PPM party he was part of and played a large part (bigger than he will admit) in getting elected.

His beef was that motions he put forward were dismissed out of hand.

Therefore he had to leave and press on with private members motions.

One of these was his motion to allow bank-to-bank transactions. I have been a long time opponent of the banks ability in this modern age to impose a 3 -4 working days before a cheque gets credited to your account even though it leaves the bank account of the person who has written the cheque almost immediately. A similar beef I have is with the 15 working days for the same transaction if the cheque is drawn on a foreign bank eg US, UK.

I stated in my Editorial “I am sure the reason for the lack of support he got from his PPM colleagues when he was part of them was some conflicts of interest. Some of his members are directors of local banks”.

I have been made aware that this is not so. I received a statement from the Progressives (PPM) making it very clear.

“I was surprised at the suggestion of persons who serve as bank directors and therefore have conflicts. That would not be acceptable to the Progressives and so would never be tolerated – it is against our ethos,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also said, “Nobody on our side ever advised him [Alva] not to bring a motion and he along with others were known to file motions without even telling his colleagues beforehand anyway. “

I am also reliably informed that “the 6 clearing banks have now signed an MOU between themselves and engaged a consultant to assist them with setting up the electronic clearing platform”. This should be online in the first quarter of 2017, the spokesperson added.

The PPM government has been pushing the banks to resolve this issue and provide these services over the last two years, so Alva doesn’t look quite the champion I gave him credit for.

“The Progressives pride themselves in being an honest government who avoid issues of conflict and act in a completely transparent manner,” the statement said and up to now I have not found anything to suggest otherwise.

That also may be another assumption of mine but until I find otherwise I stand by it.