JAMAICA Labour Party (JLP) member of Parliament for West St Thomas James Robertson, the man at the centre of the latest firestorm to hit the Government, yesterday broke his silence at the party’s annual conference, a week after damning allegations emerged that he had a contract out on the lives of persons in his constituency.

Robertson had Labour Party supporters on the edge of their seats when he called on stage a supporter whom he said was one of the persons on whom he was alleged to have ordered a hit.

“This is the man on Page 21 (of the sworn affidavit filed in a US court) that they say I want to hurt,” Robertson said in reference to the young man whom he identified as Kayon Campbell.

Campbell, who insisted that he was the one identified in the affidavit, was not media shy as he told the Observer that he has known Robertson for over 10 years and shares a very good relationship with him.

Robertson, who is also the energy minister, took the stage minutes before Prime Minister Bruce Golding spoke to the issue in his main address to party loyalists.

“If he is culpable, he and I know what the consequences are, and if he is not guilty he is owed the commitment that the investigations will be carried out quickly so his family can find some comfort from all the distress this has caused,” Golding said in his address.

But although the Government had shied away from commenting publicly on the matter before now, under the claim that they were awaiting the outcome of the investigation, Robertson had no such concern as he sought to get things off his chest.

Yesterday, as thousands of labourites converged on the National Arena in Kingston, Robertson said he had to publicly address the matter even against the advice of party lawyer Tom Tavares-Finson and his personal lawyer Patrick Bailey.

And so, like a riveting thriller, Robertson built up the suspense as he spoke of his achievements during his tenure as energy minister, causing even the most vocal supporters to listen intently in anticipation of his comments on the allegations in the affidavit.

But shortly before the time allotted for him to speak had expired, Robertson ended the suspense. Premising his statement on the acknowledgement that a lot has been said about him in his political career, Robertson dismissed it all as rumours.

He sought to challenge the affidavit filed in a US court by self-acclaimed JLP supporter Ian Johnson, who is currently seeking political asylum in the United States.

Johnson, who has since been interviewed by the police and offered witness protection, said his mother was killed and three attempts were made on his life.

But yesterday Robertson maintained that it was madness to suggest that he could have a US$3 million contract on anyone.

“I want to say shame on the person who took that statement,” he said. “They are not going to stop telling lies…it is wicked, but as Gregory Isaacs said, is rumour them spreading.”

Promising that the issue was “not done yet”, Robertson said now that he has all his ducks in a row, the Supreme Court would decide who is telling lies.

Meanwhile, Campbell also admitted to knowing Johnson as well.

Pressed as to whether he was coerced or enticed in any way to come forward, Campbell said: “I am a contractor and businessman and a university student and I have my own money, so the investigations will speak for itself.”

Asked how far he would be willing to go in defence of Robertson, Campbell said the fact that he was speaking publicly about the matter meant he was prepared to see the investigations through to the end.

In his telephonic sworn statement, Johnson alleged that Robertson had given him a piece of paper with the names of two persons he wanted killed and that Campbell’s name was was at the top.

“That is rubbish, and so I don’t know where that come from,” Campbell told the Observer minutes after he exited the stage. Asked why he believed Johnson made that claim in the statement, Campbell said: “I think the death of his mother got to him and he is not dealing with it too well.”