May began with news of Mombasa grass, so with the CEO of our dairy development board, the chairman, acting CEO and Minister Karl Samuda in the cast we knew high drama was ahead.

To be true to his values Samuda should offer his resignation. He is no criminal. He has served both the People’s National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), but the Mombasa grass, which claimed a CEO, engulfs him as he did not follow his own mind and spurn the offer. If anything, Samuda’s crime is hubris.The acting CEO said, “I made the offer to the minister to establish on his farm a demonstration plot. The minister declined the offer. I implored the minister to accept.” (

Jamaica Observer, May 11, 2017)Sir, this man is not a friend, nor is the fired CEO an enemy. Samuda knew Mombasa was off-limits; his better self conflicted, flattered, weakened, surrounded by yes men; so, as in Eden, “The devil made me do it.”Was the wrong man fired?Ordinarily, the Jamaica Dairy Development Board (JDDB) is invisible, but something was afoot. No CEO ever lost his job to grass; no minister either — we shall see. Historic milk production using old cultivars was multiples of today’s, so is our milk deficit just grass?The late Dr Ian Whittaker, pasture specialist, told me — a young Jamaica black farmer — about native Guinea grass — we queried the name. Jamaica grazed African Star, China, Pangola, King, Napier, and milk flowed. Is Mombasa miracle grass, or vanity project to bilk taxpayers?Last week a ‘Ponziman’ walked free after taking many for billions, so thank God for foreign courts, as when they could not get Al Capone for real, tax returns did it; and our scammers are on the run. Our system is inflexible and impotent. Allegations of politician impropriety grow like weeds — light bulbs; Joe Hibbert shamed; Trafigura in court, who cares?On the corruption index we are corruptly stable. In 55 years one minister jailed. What?! Look in the mirror; are you among the 40,000 proto-corrupt who refused to stand with Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn against this Ponziman? You are why Jamaica sucks!Samuda is choleric, but the Mombasa narrative is more than grass; jobs and legacy depend on it. Member of Parliament Dayton Campbell avers he used influence to get Mombasa — maybe so, but he resisted. JDDB Chairman Donald Elvey gave witness in early May, but as transparency is not our norm it did not hold. Elvey imagines Mombasa grass, planting, etc is “free”, but, Sir, a cess on imported milk solids is citizens’ money, and JDDB a wholly owned subsidiary, and Cabinet, via the minister, is proxy — we own you!Your CEO objected to Mombasa at Knollis, he was fired and your acting CEO affirmed Samuda’s title to grass. Samuda did not request or approve Mombasa yet it is planted on his farm. So what is the elephant in the room?Samuda, the farmer, and Samuda, the minister responsible for JDDB and Mombasa, are one and the same person. As Joseph to Potiphar’s wife he should have said, “Get behind me Satan,” and refused the grass. End of story!Speaker Pearnel Charles Sr tried to save him by citing an obscure standing order, but he would not shut his mouth; each word was a coffin nail, and “to protect my integrity in the whole process” paid $546,000.Trevor Munroe’s call for resignation (á la ministers Henry and Azan) is spot on. He sought to blame staff who pressed him — they disgrace the service — but the man who can’t protect his integrity from underlings and importuning sycophants is a liability to party and nation. He sought, unfairly, to impugn the character of farmers as he had names “some politically linked”, but “he currently has no intention of releasing those names”? Will they unfriend him at the next cattle confab?Samuda was openly conflicted. He said as much. Does it end here? There are issues for the Office of the Contractor General and a priest.Why did Samuda take risks so near the end of a career? Did he really need grass? Why not declare interest? He inadvertently orchestrated his demise, violated his values; sought to impugn some who got “a considerably larger portion” of grass. Finally, he played the political card: “The fact of the matter is that persons who have participated were not only related to non-political figures.” To foment division as diversion he used privileged information: “I do not wish to name them now,” to intimidate farmers connected to PNP or JLP. Nice guy, huh? Yet he did not plead the fifth. “I did not initiate this; and in fact was prevailed upon to accept. As I have said before, I regret not having taken appropriate measures to protect my integrity.” (

Jamaica Observer, May 18, 2017) Case closed?Some collateral issues are pertinent. Top professionals enticed to leave good jobs abroad for public service here should be protected from tribal politics. It’s not fair to entrap them by patriotic rhetoric then abandon them to political wolves. They come with civilised values but soon find “runnings” rule. There are quite a few cases. Most are angry and will never return. The Diaspora must sort it with Cabinet.Samuda’s $546,000 should be donated to Fr Ho Lung or St Andrew Parish Church’s 350th Anniversary Majesty Gardens project as rules of the JDDB mean his cheque will get stale and never be cashed. Recall, a shrewd wife buried her wicked husband’s wealth with him as he asked. She wrote a cheque!Finally, Samuda should apologise to the House and to Member of Parliament Campbell. This young black professional is Jamaica’s future, not ‘manure’ as he was called. We are better than this. Stay conscious! 

Franklin Johnston, D Phil (Oxon), is a strategist and project manager. Send comments to the Observer or franklinjohnstontoo@gmail.com.