News
US, JA held 'Dudus' destabilising talks — Lightbourne
Inside Parliament
with Alicia Dunkley
Sunday, July 04, 2010
THE government on Friday, for the first time, clearly admitted that it had engaged in discussions with United States officials about the adverse impact the "timing" of the extradition of former West Kingston strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke could have on Jamaica.
Attorney General and Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne, speaking in the Senate during a no confidence motion brought against her by Opposition Senators for her handling of the extradition matter, made the statement even while dismissing claims that the government had delayed or dithered in honouring the request for Coke.
Lightbourne presented a chronological account of the actions taken by the government between August 2009 when the extradition request was made and May 2010 when the order was signed.
She told the Senate that in April of this year, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Dr Kenneth Baugh met with US State Department Officials in Washington on the issue.
"The meeting discussed the possibility of public unrest and dislocation of the government's economic programme, having regard to the timing of the extradition request," said Lightbourne, who has direct responsibility for extradition matters.
She also informed the Senate that the matter was discussed in the context of Section 16 of the Mutual Assistance (Criminal Matters) Act, MACMA under which the Justice Minister is the central authority. That section mandates the refusal of a request if compliance would prejudice "other essential public interests of Jamaica". Lightbourne said the concern was even more legitimate against the background of the results of the incursion by security forces in 1997 and 2001 into Tivoli Gardens, where more than 30 persons were killed.
That, she said, "underscored the level of concern at the timing of the request". Prime Minister Bruce Golding, in addressing Parliament on the extradition saga recently, had alluded to the fact that the country's precarious economic condition and the negotiations to resume a borrowing relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which were up to late last year incomplete played a part in the timing of Coke's handing over.
Meanwhile, Lightbourne said contrary to reports, at no time did Golding give her directions on how to exercise her discretion.
"I therefore advised the Cabinet that in the circumstances I would be signing the authority to proceed and did so on May 18, 2010," Lightbourne said.
 
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7/6/2010
The victory in the Senate last week on the No Confidence vote is a Pyrrhic victory,A victory with no credibility
This can only put the Government in bad light a government that cannot be trusted..The whole Extradition Saga is a farce it is like a soap opera.The Minister of Justice makes a fool of her self her explaning what transpired over the past nine months is all the more she should resign.Ms. Lightbourne said she signed the warrant because of public pressure."Shame"
7/5/2010
Govt needs to trust the nation-state more and come straight and plain. NOT hide behind legal obfuscations. We don't have the time to enrol in UWI Law School to grasp these meanderings,just as we don't do a course in medicine to visit the medic. But we can evaluate intentions. PM was prepared to go to United Nations to prove to the world that he was on firm legal grounds in holding out for 9 mts., yet with a little MORAL pressure,NOT economic/financial, but of DISCLOSURE , I believe, he caved.
7/5/2010
You know how and why, girl; tell your detractors 'sidung an shutup!'
7/5/2010
"The meeting discussed the possibility of public unrest and dislocation of the government's economic programme, having regard to the timing of the extradition request," said Lightbourne, who has direct responsibility for extradition matters. The question we need to ask is, was the extradition legal or illegal? According to Bruce Golding it was illegal and according this article and Miss Lightbourne it was legal. I think the whole lot must resign. They clearly take Jcans for buffoons. It is sad.
7/4/2010
@rain James. I have noticed the absence of a report on the opposition's contribution in parliament too. I watched it and KD Knight (as bad as we may think he is) delivered a riveting account of the whole sordid affair and not a mention of what was said.
7/4/2010
Preposterous!
Dor believes that we will believe anthing she says. The only thing I will believe coming from her is that the JLP government did not want the police to go into Tivoli again.
7/4/2010
More reasons why the inconsistencies of the whole Coke saga is a dark blot on a dirty sheet of Jamaica's recent violent history and those that are the country's leaders.
Also, one reason why the constable who turned over the wiretap information illegally must be brought to justice as well.
7/4/2010
@ Anthony Clarke. Have you ever lived in the US? Its seems to me you don't know a lot about the US. Noriega, was the the leader of a country. He was was using the power of the sate to carry out his illegal acts. Secondly it was the PANAMA Canal that was the real issue, Mr silly man. You are blinded and unlearned. Why do people speak on things they know nothing or very little about? The US would never do anything to uproot the economy and the stability of any ot its city, county or state period.
7/4/2010
Foolishness. Utter nonsense thinking moral suasion with arguments about destabilization would have swayed the USA. If the USA went to war to get Noriega, full outright aggression on a nation, a little economic dislocation would not deter them from the arrest or Coke. Why do they persist in taking the Jamaican public for fools?
7/4/2010
The Observer has not carried one word from what the Opposition said in Parliament. STRANGE
7/4/2010
We don't believe you Dorothy. It is as simple as that.
7/4/2010
"Meanwhile, Lightbourne said contrary to reports, at no time did Golding give her directions on how to exercise her discretion." Wait there, was it our imagination or a fabrication that Golding told her that if she signed it to the next thing should sign is her letter of resignation? Oh unless she means this an order and not a direction lol
7/4/2010
I thought the article would have said from Sept 2009 and not April 2010. And what was the constitutional liguanea rights have to do with?
They take us for chimpanzees!! But the higher the monkey climb the more him expose.
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