Tough response to anarchy

Gov't places capital under limited State of Public Emergency

BY PAUL HENRY Observer staff reporter henryp@jamaicaobserver.com

Monday, May 24, 2010

THE Government yesterday placed Jamaica's capital city under a limited State of Public Emergency in response to acts of anarchy by gunmen determined to prevent Tivoli Gardens don, Christopher 'Dudus' Coke from being arrested for possible extradition to the United States.

The State of Emergency -- which took effect at six o'clock yesterday evening -- is tentatively scheduled to last for a month.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Cabinet on a day when gunmen attacked four police stations -- Fletcher's Land, Darling Street, Denham Town and Hannah Town -- and fired on police removing barricades erected on major roads in West Kingston.

Police report that two cops were injured by gunmen's bullets and a section of the Hannah Town Police Station was set ablaze by the thugs.

Last night, in an address to the nation, Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who represents West Kingston in the Parliament, said the actions of the gunmen were "a calculated assault on the authority of the State that cannot be tolerated, and will not be allowed to continue".

"The threats that have emerged to the safety and security of our people will be repelled with strong and decisive action," Golding said, adding that the security forces will be moving swiftly to bring the current situation under control.

"Criminal elements bent on violence and mayhem will be detained, and processed," said Golding. "The criminal element who have placed the society under siege will not be allowed to triumph."

He explained that the decision to call the state of public emergency was based on updates and advice from the security forces.

"The Cabinet took the decision to advise the governor general to issue a Proclamation pursuant to Section 26 of the Constitution declaring that a state of public emergency exists in the parishes of Kingston and St Andrew," the prime minister said.

Speaking to the issue last evening, National Security Minister Dwight Nelson said that people will not be prevented from going about their legitimate business.

"I know that there are people who work abnormal hours, and so we cannot stop them from carrying out their work responsibility or obligation, which means that you can't limit them as to the time they will have to be on the road," Nelson told the Observer.

That point was emphasised by Prime Minister Golding who said that the security forces have been instructed to observe and respect the right of citizens to go about their lawful business.

"The city is not being shut down," he insisted. "People are assured that they are free to move about and go to work as usual. Schools will be in full session on Tuesday."

Golding explained that under the state of public emergency, the security forces are given extraordinary powers necessary to deal with this extraordinary situation.

"These include the power to restrict the freedom of movement, search premises and detain persons suspected of involvement in unlawful activities without warrant," he said. "These are necessary measures to restore order to a community that is now threatened."

Added Golding: "This will be a turning point for us as a nation to confront the powers of evil that have penalised the society and earned us the unenviable label as one of the murder capitals of the world. We must confront this criminal element with determination and unqualified resolve."

Since Independence in 1962, Jamaica has seen five state of emergencies. Three -- in 1988, 2004 and 2007 -- were hurricane-related. The state of emergency of 1966 and that called in 1976 resulted from political violence in the run-up to pending general elections.

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COMMENTS (23)

josh davis
5/24/2010

Criminals have overran our country. 4 murdered in spanish town,8 shot in braeton (3 dead) ,police and civillians killed in kingston. Law officials negotiating with dudus. We have lost..tired of these eternal optimists who want us to pretend we are living in paradise.

Felecia Vernon
5/24/2010

I agree with Mikal Cox that this is indeed war. War has been declared on law and order in Jamaica from the longest time and this is just the culmination due to our tolerance. Yes innocent lives will be lost in war and I pledge my support for the security forces in this endeavour. Some of us are willing to die but I would love to be assured that it would not be in vain. I would love to know that at the end of this battle, a wind of change of attitudes will blow over our land. No to lawlessness! No to lewd behaviour! No to the acceptance of mediocracy and curruption from those placed in leadership!!1

Nicolas Henry
5/24/2010

Wow, that policemen in red seam without ballistic gears. Why was he allowed to be on duty like that?

Nicolas Henry
5/24/2010

@ Errol Mcintyre/// Bruce isn't the minister of national security. He's the Minister of Defense. At this point let's take care of the present not the past. Our security forces are dying in the streets.

Jahmeka Jersey
5/24/2010

"We must confront this criminal element with determination and unqualified resolve?" Is he kidding me? I mean, yes, he's right but how can Bruce himself be saying this? He should have confronted the "criminal element" of Dudus and turned him over immediately instead of dragging down the entire country. Everyone knew how this would turn out - why couldn't he have just spared Jamaicians the violence in the first place?

Nadine Smith
5/24/2010

We are in a tough position but if the people we elect would represent us the hardworking Jamaican in a positive light it would be very difficult for us to be represented in such a negative light. Crime has consumed the world but for our island we have given power to individuals who are lawless and immoral. We have given up on the values that Jamaica was built on. It may take this situation for us to realize that crimes cannot go unpunished. It is time for our elected politicians to stand up and do the job we have given them power to do.

Errol McIntyre
5/24/2010

Bruce is the minister of national security and he went all out to protect dudus so the police hands are tied. too much conflict of interest. maybe Bruce or someone in his office pass on the information to Tivoli of the security forces movement

Nicolas Henry
5/24/2010

This is a declaration of war by criminals. There should be no human right. The only rights they should get is what they receive under the GENEVA CONVENTION. Jamaica where is the tough response.The only tough response I'm reading about is from that of the CRIMINALS.

josh davis
5/24/2010

Where is the tough response?
We are not assured when we hear mention of human rights,we want an all out attack.

Nadine Johnson
5/24/2010

i find Mr Fothe statement on power 106 disturbing, He is Questioning the SOE while they r in disscussion what that have to do with the mayhem. Is the lame GOJ to allow the thugs to BURN and KILL and just dont do nothing???? All you aspiring MEN who want to go in our Parliment we the Citizen of Jamaica will be holding EVERY ONE of you ACCOUNTABLE just Watch and SEE. Our Parliment Will not be same to ARBOUR LIERS and people who r going to decieve us.

S D
5/24/2010

Myself is tired of these comments promoting Americans to do our police work. I hope Bruce is not so dumb. Get it to your heads people. We are a SOVEREIGN nation.
All these people who licky-licky and worry about their visa keep asking about Uncle Sam having jurisdiction here. Let's clean up our own mess.

Paul Lewis
5/24/2010

If this is a tough response...then wake me when the Citizens of Jamaica can move about in peace. The timid display put on by the Security Forces show a lack of planning and preparedness. You would think they had no idea this was coming. The Police have become so accustomed to running rough-shod over the Law-abiding un-armed Citizens, that they are powerless when confronted with any resistance. After Dudus is extradited, then what....what is going to happen to the others who have been so willing to display their firepower ?. Are we going to ignore them and pretend it didn't happen, or is there going to be a sustained attack on these maggots. At this juncture, we are given an oppurtunity to rid our Country of these elements that are bent on our destruction....I hope we take advantage of it and set an example.

mikal cox
5/24/2010

mmm,Now if the cops go in and some ppl get killed the cops will be accused of doing it ,so the decision now for law abiding citizen will we stand by them if that happens,because there is always innocent who get killed in war and make no mistake this is now war .I will stand by my police force and the law abiding citizen of my country ,will you? Mr commissioner time to use brute force and dont stop until most of the criminal who is known are dead

ESTEBAN AGOSTO REID
5/24/2010

Golding's address is so predictable, vacuous and hollow !!

Dorlan H. Francis
5/24/2010

This STATE of EMERGENCY has not gone far enough. It is WEAK. It should have been ALL ISLAND and indefinate. And should have been used to deal with the crime and murder problem once and for all. The members of the government should at attend RHAM EMMANUEL (Barack Obamas Chief of staff) school. He teaches that people in power should NEVER LET A CRISIS GO TO WASTE.

My Views
5/24/2010

Bruce still has not come out and admit that gunmen are in TG and they are the foundation of all this mess.
Bring in the marines. Bomb the entire TG, may the innocent souls rest in peace

Ramon Castro
5/24/2010

Why should America handle our business: We are a sovereign nation. It is the same thing that get us into trouble. We like too much hand out.
Most Jamaica politicians are corrupt. That being said, Golding inject himself into what should be a court matter because either he wanted to commit political suicide or he was afraid that by extraditing Coke TG would erupt into mayhem. Hindsight 20/20, he didn't think it through carefully. Every politician made decision in which they think is the best at the time.
Stop the foolishness about America coming to do police work in a sovereign nation. I love America as my adopted country but I don't want TO sell our my birth country's sovereignty to any foreign powers. If. we can't pledge allegiance to the USA and be a MP, then why should we want America to come and police our country.
WE CAN'T BE JOCKEY ON BOTH SIDE, PEOPLE. There are far more than on DUDUS in the country. LET stop being PNP or JLP for just once and be JAMAICANS.!!!

Bruce Fault
5/24/2010

Bruce fault. Why is he saying there are criminals now in tivoli? Where was he when the police wanted to go in when he just became MP? He was obstructing.
Bruce has allowed dudus to receive millions in contract and now is using state resource to fight against dudus. Why Bruce so wicked? They said tivoli was a lawabiding community. Lewin said it was the mother of all garrison. Bruce and Vaz supported this man.
The leader of the JLP and PM were few weeks ago adamant dudus have rights, and was not to be extradited. Golding went as far as to have the AG not sign, used brady to contract a major law firm, so the criminal would not be extradited. We are yet to know if the state funds were used.
Golding must resign and the army must use the opportunity to lock his backside with dudus. Bruce is a hyprocrit. Why did he drag this out for so long. Bruce is a dead cat. Bruce will pay for his backstabbing. He fooled tivoli bad. Now they are the ones suffering. Bruce and dudus are acquaintance.BF

Chuck Emanuel
5/24/2010

Now it has even become much clearer why outside intervention by the U.S. in terms of the provision of the expertise of Gorilla warfare which is needed to neturalize these scum-bags (Political directorate, terrorists and some members of Leadership in the police force).
All of these persons by sitting and watching have further contributed to undermine the state.
I do not know much about the integrity of the new Police Commissioner, however from what I have seen of his Leadership Capacity in terms of planning and execution makes me quite uncomfortable and suspicious of his behaviour in this crisis.
Is the Commissioner just another person from a corrupt system, who begged for this job, or was placed in this job to don't "rock the boat ?.
Or does he have to wait for his orders from the weak Minister of National Security and a Government who aids and abets criminals ?.
There seems to be some strange developements here.

Wazz Up
5/24/2010

What do you do when those declaring the state of emergency are involved in the criminal activity? It must be so confusing for the police officers putting their lives on the line.

george watson
5/24/2010

What strong and decisive action Mr. prome minister? So far the only casualties I hear are those from our side -- the police, representing the law abiding citizens of this country.
The country expects to see the prime minister in Tivoli Gadens today demanding that his constituents tear down those barriers to allow the security free access and a search for Mr. Coke, drugs and guns to begin.
From here in we expect frequent patrols of the area by the security forces without having to inform any politician of the visit, long after the SOE is lifted.
Members of Jamaicans for Justice can accompany each patrol into the gardens.
It is either they allow us to go in or we allow them to come out via a visa, since they regard themselves as a state separate and apart from Jamaica.

Fool Fool
5/24/2010

Lawd look wey wi gaan to!
How long will politicians tek us fi foolsl? How long will politicians give succor and comfort to 'dons' and other assorted badmens? How long will politicians hide behing badmen to secure their victories in the polls?
Jamaica mash up fi true. I hope the Americans go after the politicians next.
Thanks Obama, I will always lift my hat to you. You have shown the world the dirty and corrupt governments we have had in Jamaica since Independence.

Fool Fool
5/24/2010

And Uncle Sam - wen oonu tek Dudus..Do mi a beg oonu, no left him chief sponser fi continue mash up wi cuntry...tek 'im too!!
Wi tirad a di teefing and lying politicians dem inna wi cuntry.

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Tough response to anarchy