Shadow Spokesperson on Agriculture Lothan Cousins

Politicians and Their Delinquent Non-Profits

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By law, non-profit organizations in Jamaica are required to file annual returns at the Companies Office listing the address of the registered office and details of the current directors.

By law, they’re also required to file audited financials, containing the last balance sheet and a profit and loss account statement.

However, around 70% of all registered non-profits didn’t fulfill these requirements for their 2021 annual returns or their 2020 financial statements.

And a number of those that were delinquent on their filings are linked to elected members of parliament and senators - the persons who make the laws! 

Today, we highlight one organization linked to a politician that did make the effort to comply as of our initial checks in summer of 2022. Lothan Cousins is its director. Mr. Cousins is an attorney, the Opposition Spokesperson on Agriculture & Water and the elected member of parliament for Clarendon South Western.

But based on more recent checks, his non-profit that was compliant on July 15 last year has now become delinquent. Another organization for which he also serves as a director doesn’t yet have a filing requirement.

To get the full information on Lothan Cousins’ organizations become a paid subscriber.

Please note that, other than the delinquency in the filing, 18º North hasn’t found any adverse traces nor are we making any insinuation regarding Mr. Cousins or the organizations of which he is a director.

This exercise is mainly to highlight issues related to compliance.

Please note that findings are as of July 15, 2022 from the database sent to 18º North by the Companies Office on June 13, 2022.