POLITICAL activists often accuse me of being unwilling to add any juicy bits to conversations. One lashed me for being what she scornfully described as “a perfect board director”. Anyway, truth be told, like most others in our “little Jamaica nuff problems”, I do listen to suss and too often add my own views.

The following may be regarded as plain rumour-mongering, but is a view that seems quite popular at this time. The person who sent it to me seemed intent on either having me share the information or hearing my own views. Living up to my acquaintance’s description of being a tight-lipped “board director”, I said nothing to the writer but am sharing with readers. The self-acclaimed cynic sent me the following:

“It is the self-interests of the JLP not to let the contents of those electronic telephone intercepts (ETI) be used as a basis for any extradition request or as evidence in any local or foreign court. It is not about Dudus per se but the foundation of the extradition request. The JLP government is mindful of setting precedent and a court adjudicating on the legality of the said intercepts. It cannot take that risk.

In these “extradition treaty technicalities”, the Tivoli don is merely a DUD. Can you imagine the potential debvastation (sic) of those recordings of the conversations between “prominent persons” and the criminal network? It would be off the Richter scale — a political earthquake triggering a tsunami of resignations (and arrests).”

In my true style of always seeking evidence to support arguments, I have been conducting a little informal survey of how Jamaicans feel about this whole extradition matter. Trust me, it is largely divided right down tribal political lines. Labourites have all the good reasons why the prime minister should be commended for his principled stance and comrades have now found the moral high ground to lambaste the PM’s decision, or dithering as they prefer to label it. In general, though, this matter is bringing about a state of anxiety and depression among Jamaicans, especially middle-aged women who are simply fed up with Jamaica’s lack of progress and now this blight on its image. Many are fearful for their US visas.

The visa revocation issue has substantially muddied the extradition waters. All of us love ourselves best and support our own best interests. In many respects the United States is still seen as “The Promised Land”, even if it too faces challenges associated with the global economic crisis and the resultant recession. The possibility of many more Jamaicans having their visa revoked is real, whatever the motivation behind these revocations. There is precedence.

September 2009, only months ago, in Honduras several “government officials” (if you support the coup d’état and regard the present administration as official) had their visas revoked. These were not just tourist visas, but diplomatic ones as well, with that of the coup-installed President, Roberto Micheletti, included among them. Later in November 2009, a mere few months ago, the sting of visa revocation was felt in Kenya. The Attorney General Amos Waco fought back, describing the loss of his US visas as a show of “bad faith” on the part of the US and as a “proud African” vowing to look at legal actions against the US.

So what led the US to this action against Kenya’s leading legal luminary? From reports, Attorney General Waco was regarded by the US as an obstacle in the fight against corruption and by failing to prosecute perpetrators of post-election violence which ended in over 1300 killed. If we apply this logic to Jamaica, then as citizens of a country where law and order is out of control, murders are senseless, public officials often corrupt and self-serving, then anyone of us stands to have our US visas revoked. We are all guilty of mostly standing by and mostly doing nothing. We too ‘fraid!!

To a large extent, Jamaicans do nothing because we are afraid of losing friends and falling out of favour. I know many board chairs and directors who do nothing about damaging reports which indict CEOs because they do not want to lose their prized position as chair or as director. I know permanent secretaries who are aware of unassailable reports of incompetence at the highest level in their ministries, but for fear of the “bigger boss” they hold their corner and play the game of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. Politicians often do nothing for fear of losing the almighty vote or fear of falling out with colleagues.

Prime Minster Golding must be a very lonely, fearful man at this time. He carries the burden of a nation and must be acutely aware of the way the cards are stacked against us all as Jamaicans. My advice to him is one I learnt many years ago but sometimes ignore: “When yuh han inna lion mouth tek time tek it out.” From what I hear behind the scenes, it seems he may be trying to extricate his hand cautiously and save his face. If this is so, it is in the best interest of all of us as Jamaicans to wish him well in that exercise.

Marcia Forbes is a media specialist.

marcia@marciaforbes.com

www.marciaforbes.com