Speak the truth, PM
Dear Editor,
I believe it is important for your readers to understand that I classify myself as an independent voter who knows politicians on both sides and have never received any benefits from either party. In fact, over the years I have suffered financially under the PNP and like many people I certainly do not wish to see them return to government any time soon, but I sincerely believe that the way Prime Minister Golding has handled the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips saga, the PNP’s return is imminent.
Recently, I heard the president of the youth arm of the JLP saying that the MPP matter was dead and he would urge the PNP to look into the Trafigura matter because the contractor general had recommended that former minister Colin Campbell should face prosecution for not cooperating with the OCG’s investigations into the scandal. However, no more than 10 minutes later the Minister of Information said the government was fully aware of the damage that had been done to the party over the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips issue and steps would be taken immediately to rectify and hopefully, correct the public perception.
I would therefore like to tell Minister Vaz my perception of both matters – Trafigura and Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.
Of the two, the MPP case is far more serious. Here you are dealing with a government trying to use its authority to negotiate the release from extradition of an alleged criminal arms and drug trafficker, a man described by the Americans as leading the most violent criminal gang in the world and who, as it now turns out, had the undying loyalty of some of the most wicked gang leaders in Jamaica, including the infamous Doggie who fired his AK 47 at the security forces in Tivoli Gardens until his fingers were swollen and his throat sore from the amount of gunpowder residue that he sucked from his hands, according to excerpts from his diary.
My advice to the government is to speak the truth, “cost it what it will”, and remember the “tangled web we weave when we continue to deceive”. The people already know the truth and they are waiting for the prime minister to confirm what they already know.
Ken Spencer
PO Box 537
Kingston 8
