PSOJ turns up ‘Dudus’ heat

Thursday, March 11, 2010

THE Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) yesterday turned up the heat in the ‘Dudus’ affair by urging Prime Minister Bruce Golding to let the nation’s courts decide on matters relating to extradition requests from the United States.

“It seems to us that the proper forum for these matters to be dealt with in a transparent manner is in the courts of Jamaica,” said Jamaica’s most powerful businessman’s lobby group in a news release.

“We believe that there are sufficient safeguards available in Jamaican law and in our judiciary to protect the constitutional rights of all Jamaican citizens,” the release added.

The PSOJ is the latest to join mounting calls for the US request for the extradition of Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, the Tivoli Gardens strongman, to be handled through the courts.

Last week, Golding told the nation that the US extradition request for Coke was flawed as the Interception of Communications Act was breached. Golding said Justice Minister and Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne had not signed the request on those grounds.

But the PSOJ insisted that the matter should not be settled on a political level but should be dealt with judicially.

The US Attorneys Office had in August last year requested that Coke be formally extradited to that jurisdiction to face charges of gun running and drug trafficking in New York.

Coke is described as a major crime lord by the US authorities who stated that they had nine coconspirators who had furnished dirt on him. He is accused of illicit dealings since 1994.

But the Government has dawdled on the issue for seven months and the inaction has prompted the US Department of State to lash the ruling party for its close links to crime lords and branded it a corrupt regime in a recently released Narcotics Report.

The report also said three police commissioners had resigned over the state’s unwillingness to cut the nexus between political organisations and the criminal underworld.

But Golding, unfazed, told the nation he was prepared to pay the political price for standing up for Coke, who is a point man in his West Kingston constituency which is controlled by the garrison of Tivoli Gardens, Coke’s stomping ground.

“If I have to pay a political price for it I will,” Golding told the Parliament last week.

The US Government has since drafted a new indictment outlining further charges against Coke and is expected to forward the new indictment to the Jamaican government soon.

But the PSOJ yesterday expressed its concern about the current light in which the country is being seen by its powerful neighbour to the north. “It is imperative that we continue to demonstrate our commitment by honouring our obligations under the treaty to which we are a party,” the release also stated.

Two weeks ago the US visa of Urban Development Corporation chairman Wayne Chen was revoked when he attempted to leave the island for Los Angeles, California. But it was not clear whether the PSOJ’s call was prompted by that action, despite rumours doing the rounds.

The US Embassy in Kingston has stated that it is not US Government policy to use visa restrictions as a policy tool.

Efforts to contact PSOJ President Joseph Matalon were futile as he was said to be “not available”.

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COMMENTS (18)

Wilfred Gray
3/12/2010

Their are Jamaicans whonever been to USA, and many have no such interest..
For example..
NO ONE, DESPITE NUMEROUS OFFERS,COULD HAVE EVER GOTTEN MY OLE-GRAMPA, WILLY c, TO GO ANYWHERE BUT in jamaica! NOTEVENA VISIT..A SUH DEM MANDID STAND...PRINSUPLE MAN..BUT HE USED LUV REAGAN...RESPECT SAH!
jamaica land we love!

KING DAVID
3/12/2010

ha ha ha..THE PRIVILEGIE SUCTION OF JAMAICA...LOL ..I guess the State Department was correct in their stereotypical analysis.."the only thing jamaican love other than their country, is The Green Card" therefore many worthy souls seems to have lock Jaw, selective amnesia, and old-timers.. Their quietness is so apparent.
IS IT THE FEAR OF THE GREEN CARD..WOOOE TINGS A COME TO BUMPS..Then you have certain professional writers here suffering from mild case of myopia..I wonder if they are agent PROVOCATEURS? or is this political or social engineering being practice to create confusion and to observe or elicit response from the readers? I wonder! There are times I'm amazed at the response by the readers to the various articles! are we reading the same article, I wonder..or maybe they are so scared their tails are becoming a nuisance between their legs. How many of the readers living in the USA remember WMD(weapon of mass Destruction) or for those in NY remember Shawn Bell? I hate Bullies....John the Baptist and many of the prophets stood up to tyrannical Governments, they paid a price, but to God be the Glory..some of you out their have no spine, therefore I pity you...Several years ago a young Jamaican Mother and wife Yvonne Smallwood only crime was asking a NYPD officer why her husband was ticketed for parking...she was never seen alive again..how many of you even if you never heard of this case would have stood up? to quote Rev Sharpton, "If you don't stand for someting, you will fall for anything". Not saying anyone should support, or condone injustice, or wrongs committed by anyone, but remember the famous quote, they will come for me in the morning, but they will come for you at night...

richie bell
3/11/2010

It's a message in my opinion. I bet they have even been in touch with the US Embassy and even gave them a list before sending that statement....but people, can you blame them? If they have no connection with the matter and believe that it should go beefore the courts, then why not express it? As for no being in touch with the garrisons and the ghetto youths if they do or don't does it really matter? Will that position ever change any time soon? At least they never said to leave him alone or to send him away, they said let the courts handle it. Who can reasonably argue with that?
Big Up PSOJ!
Ahmeman! inna Atlanta

Zabdiel Dewar
3/11/2010

karen it jus guh fi show us all seh tings inna tings. man a protect more dan dem visa and dem job, dem a protect dem freedom.

lisa joones
3/11/2010

is any one surprised at corrupt Jamaica?????

T G
3/11/2010

Well the Privileged Sons (Daughters) Of Jamaica has spoken sen him gwaan. i am pretty sure Jamaica will be peaceful, crime will vanish and their businesses will thrive.
Of course the unelected Privileged Sons (Daughters) Of Jamaica as a body has never been vocal on human rights for the rest of their fellow brothers and sister in the wider Private Sector, so this is not unexpected.
....TG...

Karen Lee
3/11/2010

@zabdiel...isnt that something..how you as a prime minister is going to say something like that. That is why we have the judicial system. Let the courts handle it. No man is an island...he needs to step back and let the courst do its job. And to say that the AG "better not sign it"...wow...My support for him has gone out the window.....

Sad Jamaican
3/11/2010

Hahaha! It always amuses me when the PSOJ stand up for anything...
Usually inert and silently eating up their profits like PacMan, the PSOJ doesn't usually give a hoot about anyone or any issue except that which directly affects them. So what has prompted them to break their usual silence?
Must be the fear of losing the visa and the privilege of traveling to the US. I hope the US Embassy keeps up the pressure. It may be the only way to get anything done around here!

Zabdiel Dewar
3/11/2010

If I have to pay a political price for it I will,” Golding told the Parliament last week. what he is really saying is "mi prefer do it this way than give up DUDUS and mek him talk di tings dem.

carlos king
3/11/2010

The majority knows it is only a matter of time before dudus is extradited despite Golding's "wield and deal", dithering or obfucating. The PSOJ is putting the "icing on the cake". If this article is accurate, even the US of A is helping to minimize the embarrassment, to Bruce, by re-submitting the extration request, without the opportunistic, excuse wiretapping cluase. It is interesting how the PSOJ is bending over backwards and its use of diplomat language. But we're not surprised after all this is the preferred Gov. of "big men".
I wonder if during this dudus debacle, they (PSOJ and other powerful private sector lobby groups) have speared a thought for the insufferable oppression the vast majority of decent lawabiding citizens in garrisons all over this country are daily subjected to by the whims and fancy of "strongman", aka, area dons? When they should have become seized with this reality and do what they can to alleviate the burden , when they are willing to lift the load, break the don shackles that bind the innercity poor, then and only then will Jamaica become a paradise.
Regards,

josh davis
3/11/2010

bruce is our supreme leader..only thing we need now is few more muslim clerics and a nuclear program..lol

Norman Lee
3/11/2010

Perhaps it is now time that the GG call in Bruce and the AJ and have a chat with him about the Dudus affair. Maybe he will listen to a man of the cloth!

John Christian
3/11/2010

The PSOJ represents the private sector of Jamaica...that's what I gather...I do not know how many of its members may have ,out of neccesity seen the need to interact with "Dudus"...I say this because in Jamaica "strange associations occur,that under non Visa cancellation times,would be seen as well connected....Thus their call for the Juidicary to handle this matter,may be their way of sending Uncle Sam a not so subtle message,that they are not on the side of the PM,thus please leave our visas alone,...this of course is only applicable to those who are not in possesion of the...Green Card....and the Holy Grail of all Grail's...Citizen of the United States...so once again to this esteemed body....read Ken Chaplins article it will answer factually many of your concerns....Ps....what is this thing,that whenever a hot and controversial topic is responded to in print,everyone connected is always..."unavailable for further comment" my view is they are Jabbering and the Jabbering cannont stand up to Interview scrutiny...Finally...the USA can indict a Ham Sandwich.

Hope Alive
3/11/2010

There is no question that the Minister is in her rights not to sign the order, however if her not signing the document is based on self interest, then that should not be tolerated. When the PM first spoke on the issue, he said the Order did not come through the correct channel. This was refuted in the Report sent by the State Department. The PM went back to parliament to say that there is a breach in the Interception of Communication. What should we believe?

JA Cynic
3/11/2010

Do not "Ask The Embassy" but the weapon of Mass Visa Revocation (WMVR) was used in Honduras recently.It is not surprising that the PSOJ, like their Honduran counterparts, would seek to maintain their open channels to the US, esp in regards to their economic interests.
Some of the leaders have higher status than the mere visitors visa--green cards, property, family & bank accounts.
Locally, Golding seems to be alienating a very powerful sector that supported him.This has very serious implications for the funding of the next election for the JLP.
JA Cynic

3/11/2010

These PSOJ people are waggonists who are self serving. They only talk when their interests are affected. Do they come out stridently when poor Jamaicans are marginalised and affected? I guess not since it does not affect their super profits and their abilit to fly frequently to Miami. I suggests that it is their interests and not Jamaica that really concerns them. I argue that, because, inspite of the recession, they continue to cut jobs, rake in super profits and squeeze the poor man. Jamaica is a soverign state and our laws should stand.

JA Cynic
3/11/2010

Can a Minister of Government be called upon to exercise a judicial function?
What about the doctrine of the separation of powers?
Aside from the purported illegality of some of the evidence, is there sufficient to legally ground the order to proceed?
If there is an abundance of evidence collected over a prolonged period of time, then why was Dudus not regarded as a "person of interest" by our own JCF & DPP?
JA Cynic

3/11/2010

I think the bottom line is that these PSOJ people are wagonists who are afraid of losing benefits from the US. They do not care about the Jamaican people. They are the same ones who milk us and live high on the hog, frequently fly to Miami and give back little. They watch in silence as the country suffers and only holla when the water seems to be touching their toes.

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