'Dudus' impasse serious, says DC mayor

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Sunday Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, March 28, 2010

MAYOR of Washington, DC Adrian Fenty has described the ongoing impasse between the United States and Jamaica over the extradition request for Christopher 'Dudus' Coke as a "serious issue", but said he was hopeful that both governments will be able to resolve the matter in the near future.

The mayor, a member of the Democratic party -- one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States -- noted on Friday that although not a lot of citizens in Washington, DC were talking about the case, it was a matter that needed to be dealt with.

"I am confident that it will be worked out. Jamaica and the United States have always enjoyed a very long and strong partnership, and working relation," the mayor told the Sunday Observer.

He was attending a banquet marking the 1Oth anniversary of the Barbican Pines Optimists Club. His wife Michelle, president of the Advisory Council for Capital Breast Care Centre, was the guest speaker at the function.

Fenty told the Sunday Observer that although he did not have the full details of the case, it was important that both countries re-establish the strong working relationship they have always shared.

"This is one issue -- a serious issue -- but I think both countries will get past this (and) they need to get past this very quickly," he said.

"They need to, because some American citizens come here, and some Jamaican citizens come to the United States; so you want the working relationship to be as strong as it always has been," added the mayor, who also spoke briefly about a range of issues, from his love for Jamaican food and the beauty of the country, to the organisation of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys' and Girls' Championships.

Meanwhile, Michelle Fenty, in her main address, challenged Optimists to build on the rich tradition and legacy left by the founders of the club -- which was one of the only all-woman organisations in Jamaica and possibly the region.

Quoting sections of the Optimist Creed, Mrs Fenty said, "I want you all to promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind".

Mrs Fenty, who is of Jamaican heritage, was born and raised in London, England and moved to New York at age 18.

Her passion and commitment for the betterment of children have led her to serve as a board member for the group, Fight for Children.

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COMMENTS (11)

josh davis
3/28/2010

how this idiot tg get so much post publish and my sign sensible posts are not?

Bill Badley
3/28/2010

I also would like jornalist to write area of interest where the USA the largest extortionist of the Jamaican populace continue to milk innocent jamaican of their hard earnings.Lets focus on the jamaican embassy in Kingston jamaica,whereby thousand of jamaican are rip-off of approximately fifteen to sixteen thousand each on adaily basis.Journalist we need to hear your voices and major crimes like these,Why do we allowed these american dunces to continue treat us like this .Wake up you Journalist you need to represent and misrepresent Jamaican people.Do you believe it is okay for the us embassy to force visa successors to pay carrier to where ever walks of life they are from.When arrangment can be b these succesors at afar lees cost.

Wilfred Gray
3/28/2010

We refuse to be colony for any!
A self-respecting nation is what we wanna be!

T G
3/28/2010

LOL When Prezi is gone who will be Dudus 2.0?
Dudus 2.0 my not be as benign as Dudus 1.0.
What you might get is another fragmentation or demi-Dons such as happened in Jones Town and Jungle in the late 80s and 90s, resulting in nearly a decade of bloody wars on almost every corner.
There is nothing is the tea-leaves that say the residents of West Kingston can get by without a Don and it does not matter who the MHR is.
That is the coffee that some of us needs to wake up and smell.
I don't see how the JLP or worse Mr. Golding is to be blamed for Dudus. In the fist place Tivoli is off the JLP Books. Secondly Dudus came to prominence when Mr. Golding was way out of representational politics.
Since we like to use the USA as a template this was exactly like trying to tie Barrack Obama to Tony Resko, a constituent of his whom he came and saw in South Chicago and to whom he was introduced to.
Mr. Golding is the MHR from West Kingston he is also the Prime Minster of Jamaica charged with a political responsibility to deal with treaty matters between Jamaica and other Jurisdictions. Mr. Fenty is Mayor of Washington DC here on a private visit don't see this has anything at all to do with him.
Sorry for all my spelling mistakes and double words in the earlier post.
....TG....

josh davis
3/28/2010

tg you are an idiot.

Millie Gee
3/28/2010

I suspect that Mayor Fenty was responding to a question. There's nothing in his response to indicate he was taking sides. So to tell the man to "mine his own bloody town!" seems a bit much.

Clara Brooks
3/28/2010

Leave Dudus alone, he is not a labourite, he just a business man who happens to have roots in TG. Anyone will tell you that he has Junglist and Hanna town men protecting his legacy.

Dwayne Willis
3/28/2010

T.G....stop talking Garbage bout keeping the peace....This is a sovereign state, one with an army and a police force, they are the ones responsible for keeping peace in the country. And what peace are you referrring to?
The fact is these charges are more serious than some of the means used to get the evidence. You and your Prime Minister needs to remember that.
This is not about protecting the rights of a Jamaican citzen, its about protecting Mr. Golding's own self interest. Reular law abiding citizens who are normally o the wrong side of justice dont receive these kind of "constitutional" protection from the Government.
Wake up and smell the coffee and recognise this embarasing situation for what it really is

Jay Brown
3/28/2010

Why are we making out this Dudus issue to be a bigger deal than it really is.
The media continues to feed to the public personal views of a few individuals and the gullible public is quick to snap it up as gospel.
Audrey - was not going to be appointed due to Dudus- Audrey appointed.
Jamaica would not get IMF loan because of Dudus - Jamaica secured IMF loan.
Wayne lost his visa due to Dudus standoff - Wayne got back his Visa (Oh that did not make headlines).
USA not issuing enough visa - Because of Dudus - nuttin nuh go so.
Once the assertions have proved to be wrong the media simply moves to the next one.
This was the man's personal view THAT it, nothing make his view more important than mine, but his made the Headlines - well its for the effect folks - nothing else.

john public
3/28/2010

I really don't know what the matter is with extraditing this guy...Jamaican Governments are really not know as a "protector" of it's citizens........what? there suddenly an change of policy...the Jamaican society has evolved way fast and goverment needs to seriously catch up.. we are in 2010 but our goverments and policies are still stuck in the staus-quo of the fifties.

T G
3/28/2010

DC Mayor must mine his own bloody town!
This would be like asking Mayor McKenzie to comment on treaty matters between the USA and Jamaica on a visit to the DC Kiwanis Club.
Compare the murder rate of West Kingston and DC over the last ten years, even as DC Crime figures are at it lowest in 20 years?
I guess everyone USA Citizen of note who come to Jamaica is going to be expected to furnish treatise on Prezi.
I think questions Jamaicans must ask of Jamaicans are:
Who is going to keep the Peace when Short-Man gaawn?
Is Tivoli Gardens still going to be under constant attack from the State and other forces?
Is the job prospects of the denizens of West Kingston goign to be improved with the departure of of the President?
Looking at the History of West Kingston I have come to the realization the Eddie made a colossal mistake. He should have left the inhabitants of West Kingston, particularly Back-O-Wall in the dungle where he has found them, for no sooner had he finished Tivoli then it was under attack.
This had led to massive waste of time, money and blood all to stop one man, for daring to want to change in a positive way the lives of Jamaican Citizens living in a Hell-Hole, called Back-O-Wall.
We have failed to heed or even see, the lessons of Tivoli, Rema, Jungle and Payne Land. Governments have no business building houses for private citizens, especially in the context of our Tribal Political Culture.
These so-called Housing units, have devolved into nothing more than warehouses for the disaffected. Storing Jamaicans written off as vote-securing, unemployable, unsociable, political cannon fodder to be controlled from a distance and manipulated from all sides by all-comers, foreign and local.
....TG....

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'Dudus' impasse serious, says DC mayor