News

PNP gunmen being paid to unleash pro-Dudus mayhem

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

CRIMINAL gangs aligned to the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) in the Maxfield Avenue area of Whitfield Town are being paid up to $100,000 per day to join in the mounting unrest in the Corporate Area sparked by resistance to the security forces' attempt to arrest Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

According to men claiming to be members of the gangs, they are being paid by Coke, who is currently battling, in the Supreme Court, his pending extradition to the United States on drug- and gun-running charges.

Sections of the West Kingston area of the Jamaican capital have been plunged into unrest since last week Tuesday after it was announced that a warrant had been issued for Coke's arrest.

Barricades were immediately mounted around Coke's stronghold of Tivoli Gardens, followed later by a mass demonstration, by mostly female residents, appealing for the security forces to "leave Dudus alone".

Police officers with expertise on gang operations told the Observer in March, two months before the current violence erupted, that thugs aligned to the PNP would join forces with the Tivoli hoodlums, who are affiliated with the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, should an attempt be made to take Coke into custody.

Signs of that cross-party alliance emerged on Sunday when gunmen from the Jones Town area, close to Maxfield Avenue, blocked a section of Spanish Town Road in the vicinity of the St Andrew Technical High School, as the security forces surrounded Tivoli Gardens before launching their offensive to capture Coke.

Yesterday, as that operation was in full swing, heavily armed men were busy blocking sections of Maxfield Avenue, from Wellington Road. Heavy gunfire was reported in the vicinity of Fitzgerald Avenue and the lower section of Maxfield Avenue where a woman was shot and injured.

A house was reportedly torched along Whitfield Avenue.

"A whole heap a gunshot a fire down Whitfield Avenue," a resident told the Observer yesterday.

Residents have also reported that the heavily armed men are making no effort to conceal their weapons, as they walk around in broad daylight, ready to unleash mayhem, despite the imposition of a limited State of Emergency.

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COMMENTS (21)

Dale Morris
5/25/2010

Flatten the landfills and relocate them into manageable areas. Move the land fill from riverton to tivoli.
Jamaica should never again elect a PM from Tivoli dat done Bruce. Never Again. Ste an Exple here and evryone would take heed.

rain James
5/25/2010

If I was a gunman aligned to the JLP I would claim to be a PNP gunman. This story is not credible. What proof does the Observer have that these gunmen are PNP? The truth is the PM gave them all the time to prepare and put their thugs everywhere. This Prime Minister must go and go now. He has failed Jamaica, the people of Tivoli and his office

Ramon Castro
5/25/2010

@Nicolas Henry -- concur. Once the monster is destroyed or at least tame, the government should enact legislation banning all zinc fences first in the Kingston and St Andrew and all other metro areas nationwide. No concrete fence or green shrub fencing greater than four feet. Declare unoccupied are green area.
This is where to PSOJ, JCC can play role is financing the project in form of grants and loan. What a beauty it would green edges and low concrete replacing the unsightly zinc fencing.

Bo ranks
5/25/2010

Will the leader of the PNP issue a statement condemming any affiliation of her party with these thugs? I expect she will, but will she encourage the security forces to go into this PNP enclave and apprehend these heavily armed men who man barricades? Let us hear from her, Portia Simpson-Miller, not one of her underlings.

Paul Morgan
5/25/2010

My Prayers are with the security forces and the law abiding citizens of Jamaica. Sad that gunmen are allowed to bear arms while innocent citizens are sitting ducks. I hope the security forces keep up the fight from Negril to Morant Bay.

Jaye Stone
5/25/2010

Which gunman, unemployed and restless, could turn down the offer of $100,000 per day? Especially when he is not afraid to die? Obviously criminality pays in Jamaica. How many Jamaican executives are paid over a thousand US dollars a day?

Winston G
5/25/2010

What is going on with journalism today, Jamaica Observer?
How do you report an allegation as a statement of fact? Did these "gunmen" speak directly to the Observer? Something does not look right here at all. What is the role of the media in fueling the violence?

Tom Sawers
5/25/2010

What I liked about this mayhem Judgement Start at Home. The P.M. cleaned up his backyard, Congratulations. Many won't see it this way but it's a tremendous start.

My Views
5/25/2010

If these gunmen join in, kill them too. Down wid all gunmen and all who support them

Nicolas Henry
5/25/2010

Flatten all the areas and make them formal settlement with no zinc fence, so every street will have access to motorized police patrols. All those that admire criminals, continue to do such. The law abiding people will have the last laugh. Security forces FIGHT FIGHT AND FIGHT. Your children and grand children future is depending on this fight.

Louis Lawrence
5/25/2010

I don't believe this story, I don't believe this story at all, Dudus is no hero, no Robin Hood as far a I am concerned....his reign must be brought to an end, the observer is careless, they dont seem to understand that these people have been failed by successive govts and now the biggest betrayal by Bruce. I agree with Kisiwi, Just take a look at how calm the observer & gleaner is today after building the tension with their editorials and twisted stories. That is what we notice. Where is the update on the volumes killed in Tivoli and still no Dudus....where is the intelligence that told them he was in Tivoli that merited such an overeaction by the army....they found it necessary to use mortar on our own citizens....total rubbish....come on Observer you led the charge.....its time to start feeding us facts and and facts only.....let me see how much of this will be edited....where is Dudus now? why is the Govt, the Observer, the Gleaner so quiet....OMG what have they done,

Maude Cooper
5/25/2010

What was the term the American used in Iraq again? I believe it was "The enemy of the enemy is my friend". This is a very good idea; maybe the best way to get rid of them all that terrorize the good citizens of the country and trying to destroy the country on a whole.

mark jones
5/25/2010

I hope people realise that the real ones responsible for all this are the politicians, there was no Tivoli when Jamaica got independence............................The cartoon in the observer earlier this week captures this point very well......It must not be allowed to happen again

demus one
5/25/2010

Mr innocent dudus I hope you and all your cronies are killed on sight. All the people supporting you should be ashame of themselves. Kisiwa maybe they are telling us what a scumbag your hero dudus is find all the exscuse you want we who live here know exactly what is going on. Blaming journalists for what is going on is so dumb an idea it does not deserve a respond. Thank you Observer for publishing these facts we in jamaica know a lot more than some people think we do. Anyone don't like what they are reading becaue it does not fit there political agenda can go read some other paper. Blaming everyone else for the actions of these animals is the reason the country is in this mess right now. We need to take out all of these criminals once and for all.

Kisiwa Mtumishi
5/25/2010

What else is new ?. They claim that Dudus is paying them , but how do we know for sure ?. Maybe some of these guys are just seizing on the opportunity to do what they do best . Can we even trust the efficacy of this journalism ? especially given thier toothless one-sidedness and hypocrisy. it seems journalists have become headline grabbers, and punch line talking points brokers. I really want Dudus to be taken alive, so that he can outline his activities for say the last 18 or so years.

Chuck Emanuel
5/25/2010

Those criminal aiders and abettors who espouse their anti-american sentiments and are masquerading as concerned citizens, should be reminded that their waste arguments about Jamaica being a "sovereign country and we need no U.S. help" is patented garbage.
We are currently receiving U.S. assistance against these terrorists, narco-traffickers, gun-runners and extortionists.
Additionally, U.S. Troops has landed in Jamaica with much needed machinery to provide logistics and support to our nation. We are very thankful for this.

Nancy Ndola
5/25/2010

What am I reading? Unbelievable!!!. Is this my Jamaica? can't be. There is no way we can stoop any lower.
I hope Miss P will not tell her PNP garrison to get out the flight. Probably not. Then we will know, that Jamaica in civil war, and the scoundrels going to Parliament today, to do what? They might as well dissolve it, since I dont see the point, unless its for them all to resign, and put in alternate people, but where will we get them from? cause dem no born yet, or dem dead long time.

critical thinker
5/25/2010

Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, I am beginning to admire this guy. So well organised!

Jay Brown
5/25/2010

A will pay a soldier $1 for each of these thugs he destroys.
Clean up the mess guys and do n ot leave the streets until you are done.
Tg has fallen, no plan coordinated strikes into the other areas, they are severely wounded and running out of bullets. Move in with lethal precision

Simply Saying
5/25/2010

Think it's clear what happened here: The GoJ gave Mr.Coke a nine month head start to organize an all island defense plan in the event of the ordering of his extradition. The Prime Minister sold out the JDF and JCF. They did not get the chance to prepare themselves for this assault on their authority. The Prime Minister and his thugs in Parliament NEED TO GO. Take Portia and her cronies with you too. Launch a coup JDF. Storm Gordon House today and take rule over Jamaica! It's the only way for us to turn the country around. This is a pivotal moment. This opportunity may never come again. Take charge JDF!!!

kgn 13 yute
5/25/2010

Perfect opportunity to get rid of them all, there is alot that can be done in one month. The law must prevail

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