JAMAICA’S attorney-general AJ Nicholson said yesterday that he was willing to meet, as soon as possible, with the mother of Michael Gayle and offer a personal apology for the circumstances of her son’s death and the agony she had to endure.

Nicholson’s offer to apologise to Jenny Cameron, in the presence of her attorney, came on the heels of fresh criticisms yesterday from the human rights body, Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ), which issued a press release in the name of its well-known adviser, lawyer Richard Small.

Small noted that the “entire conduct of the attorney-general in relation to the issue of an apology to Mr Michael Gayle’s family has not been sincere”.

Earlier this month, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemned the government’s handling of the case, saying Gayle’s right to life, personal liberty, a fair trial and judicial protection had been violated.

The commission had also recommended a public apology, but Nicholson noted at the time that the government had already apologised and expressed regret at the killing in reports.

However, yesterday Small noted that “a genuine apology is made directly to the persons aggrieved. The attorney-general claims that he apologised to Miss Cameron and the other members of Mr Gayle’s family by sending a press release to the media.

“It is an insult to send an apology to the media and claim that it was meant to be an apology to the injured family. Mr Gayle’s family has never had even the courtesy of a copy of this news release,” Small added.

But Nicholson contended yesterday that the press release in question reflected “the public position of the government and the fact that we continue to be deeply disturbed with what happened to Michael Gayle on August 3, 1999 that resulted in his death”.

He said that it would be quite wrong for any organisation claiming to represent the interest of the Gayle family to think that the government was not “very mindful” of the implications of what happened.

He said that in addition to what he had “said so far and what the government has already done in respect of the compensation offered,” he stood “ready to meet with Gayle’s mother, along with her attorney, to personally apologise on behalf of the state, as soon as this could be arranged…”.

Gayle died at hospital in August 1999 after being severely beaten by members of the Jamaica security forces in the presence of his mother whose pleas for him were ignored.

The case was sent for consideration by the IACHR, which has since made some scathing criticisms of the Jamaica Government’s handling of the matter.

The attorney-general rejected arguments advanced by the commission, and in turn was criticised by the JFJ, a group he accused of misrepresenting the government’s position.

Now, at least, it appears that the attorney-general is ready to meet Gayle’s mom and offer the kind of apology envisaged by the JFJ.

This latest development has come against the background of various interventions including by the state, the JFJ, the media and social commentators pertaining to the inquiry into the death of Gayle, compensation offered and the need for a public apology.