CABINET places the nation at risk around this extradition issue. Bruce inherited Mr Coke and West Kingston from the man who said he was no leader and this legacy is a poisoned chalice. “West Kingston” is a metaphor for evil. (“Mocho” is another metaphor for something quite different.)

In the 20th century West Kingston was really bad; under Eddie – a good gatekeeper – it was controllably bad; what value does Bruce add? When we move to 45 MPs, as we must, amalgamation and rebranding will end the postcode lottery in education, opportunity and jobs so unfair to West Kingston residents. More anon. When the diaspora hears of trouble at home the instinct says “West Kingston”.

Was this seat luck or fatal attraction for Bruce? I played Dr Faustus on stage and can only imagine Bruce’s soliloquies as Mephistopheles tempts and taunts him to evil. To sell your soul to “the foul fiend Asmodai” is not a one-off deal, it happens gradually, and in time you become the thing you once did most dislike. Check yourself, Bruce, your choices betray you.

We had no interest in extraditions, now we are all agog. What’s Mr Coke’s doing about his extradition? Is he going to comply? Is he fighting it? What’s his story? Is the matter in court? Have his lawyers applied for an injunction to quash the order? Is the DPP his advocate? What’s he doing to clear his name? Speak up, Sir, we can’t hear you!

What’s the state’s role in extradition? What’s the reason we have no extradition with African and Eastern nations? Government must ensure that the technical areas are satisfied; that the US has good evidence, that they have confidence in the US courts and that the human rights of the person are not breached. Cabinet may also tear up the treaty if the US abuses it. This demurring causes the diaspora to wilt as one week we are gold, the next we are scum abroad.

Lawyers for the British computer hacker fight his extradition to the US and the press gives blow-by-blow cover. His parents, friends mobilise media, public sympathy and are on TV daily. Where are Mr Coke’s friends? How is this pillar of fort West Kingston defending his good name? This extradition is good, as we now see the nexus between garrison politics and the public order and how cosy political truces affect our safety, laws and our nation’s credibility abroad.

We die alone but we cannot live alone. Bruce’s action or inaction has consequences and if our friends and trading partners see us as an indecisive, corrupt, bankrupt state, we lose. We were socialist but we stood on principle; we are sustainedly poor but never lost our reputation. We are now in murky waters. We want US aid, tourism and trade; we want visas galore; we vie to curry favour with President Obama. Are we worth it?

This extradition is important because of the back story. Peaceful West Kingston is a vintage fiefdom, our entrepot for arms, drugs, crime and violence and our PM’s power base. Is this coincidence? Faustian tragedy? His seat harms his credibility and our nation. Is he dim? Eddie had history there and gave yeoman service. What’s Bruce’s story? Bruce can talk but we know him by his choices. Our global brand is at risk by his personal garrison choice.

Character is value! At CHOGM in Trinidad and Tobago he was dissed. The openly gay British Foreign Minister knows his views — we got no favours there. Michael Manley and PJ Patterson held the moral high ground and used to whip the big nations into line. Bruce lost it. He carries no weight. He alienates the US and UK, the key outlets for our people and our goods. He stumbles with his serial police commissioners and the BOJ — the world watches central banks; is he stupid or accident-prone?

Mr Ezroy Milwood’s award is pending for years — everyone knows of it — yet he made no budget provision for this debt. Instead of rejoicing that it’s not the $5b asked, Cabinet is surprised. What planet do they live on? Bruce, Daryl and Audley don’t run their own businesses this way; is this how they run ours — are they for real? We have a PM who thinks he’s in Opposition! Is he a liability to the JLP? He is certainly an asset to the PNP.

The fear of civil unrest is palpable. This extradition means little; it’s a new view of our sad state and an insensitive PM who does not see the incongruity of his MP seat in this century of the image. Mr Coke is not the key to anything. If he goes tomorrow we would still be in thrall to violence. What Mr Coke does affects his fate, what Bruce does affects ours. Mr Coke cannot hurt our nation more than we now hurt, but what Bruce does can cut off our oxygen. The polarity of past times is reversed, now unelected men run puppet MPs. But if evil wants a fight, let’s give it a fight! Yes, I said fight, you sleazy couch potato! This is a just war. Let us reclaim our pride and our democracy!

Bruce plays a cynical and dangerous game. This has serious implications for civil order and we must support the police fully and take steps for self-defence. The US is our friend; we trust them with our diaspora. They do not bar remittances (as yet) or investors and the tourists still come. This could change. Is one MP’s garrison seat worth our integrity, our income and our friends? I don’t think so! Build your community and arm yourself to protect your families. Let’s clean up our mess, as if the world sees us as a corrupt, rogue nation, they might come and clean up for us. Let’s give them no motive.

Newsflash: Last year friends alerted me to the havoc our fishermen wreaked on the Mosquito Coast and it’s no surprise that Costa Rica is the latest nation to feel our gang violence. We will soon need visas to get to heaven! Please note that our trading partners use us in case studies for police training in extreme violent crime. Stay conscious!

Dr Franklin Johnston is an international project manager with Teape-Johnston Consultants, currently on assignment in the UK.

franklinjohnston@hotmail.com