Secrecy continues to cloud Jamaica’s drugs findings

[Islandman]

And he was arrested and charged? In that case I would agree that they should either leave the story alone or call the man name. Otherwise you are just promoting gossip.

[Islandman]

Yeah his name should definitely call. Just leave out the last sentence , it would seem that the rest is public information.

[Bricktop]

And he was arrested and charged? In that case I would agree that they should either leave the story alone or call the man name. Otherwise you are just promoting gossip.

(Jamaica Observer) – A businessman in his 60s could be slapped with more than 20 counts of incest and indecent assault following his arrest on Tuesday on allegations that he had been molesting his three young daughters.

The man, with auto-related businesses across the country, was held during the afternoon at his lawyer’s office along Duke Street in downtown Kingston.

“He was right here in my office in an interview with me when three officers from CISOCA [Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse] came in and took him away,” attorney Vincent Wellesley told the Observer.

According to Wellesley, his client had come in to see him as he wanted to turn himself over to the police after learning on Saturday that he was wanted for questioning in relation to the alleged incidents.

[Jangle]

Sand suspects held - Three persons taken into custody, might be interviewed today

Published: Friday | December 12, 2008


Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

At least three persons suspected of stealing sand from properties in Trelawny are now in police custody.
However, up to late yesterday, the police were refusing to provide any details. They argued that, because of the state of their investigation, they could not disclose the identities of the persons arrested or their roles in the sand theft.
Yesterday, attorney-at-law Tom Tavares-Finson confirmed his clients, Devon Sterling and Christopher Pryce, had been arrested, along with another man, but not charged.
Being held at ocid
He said the men might be formally interviewed by police today and are being held at the Organised Crime Investigation Division. Gleaner sources claimed none of those arrested was the mastermind of the operation which resulted in the theft of almost 500 truckloads of sand from three properties.

The sources further claimed that it did not appear that any member of the police force was arrested, although eyewitnesses have claimed policemen provided [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]security[/COLOR][/COLOR] cover over the three nights the sand was stolen.
The Gleaner understands that early yesterday morning, the police, armed with warrants, targeted properties in the Corporate Area and Westmoreland.
Satisfied with briefing The [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]Government's[/COLOR][/COLOR]

point man in the sand probe, minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Daryl Vaz, told The Gleaner that while the arrests of the alleged perpetrators were long in coming, he was satisfied, having received an initial briefing from the investigators.

"I expect that the police have carefully put their case together and they will be in a position to secure convictions," Vaz said.
Vaz has repeatedly argued that the Government would not interfere in the police investigation despite claims that prominent Jamaica Labour Party supporters could be involved.
Yesterday, he said the administration was prepared to "let the chips fall where they may".
The police were called in late June after Felicitas Limited discovered that tons of sand had been stolen from a Coral Springs, Trelawny, property where it had intended to develop a multibillion-dollar six-star beach [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]resort[/COLOR][/COLOR]. Other thefts

Checks by The Gleaner later revealed that sand had also been stolen from properties owned by political activist and businessman Ras Astor Black and former Member of Parliament Desmond Leaky.
Yesterday, managing director of Felicitas, Fredrik Moe told The Gleaner that while his company was concentrating on its civil suit, it is keeping an eye on the police investigation.
"We are happy that the investigation is ongoing and hope it will bear some [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]fruits[/COLOR][/COLOR] soon," Moe said.
Last month, Felicitas filed a lawsuit against Fiesta Jamaica Ltd, Riu, Palmyra Resort & Spa Ltd and Bedrock Building and Aggregates Ltd, seeking to recover millions of dollars it said it lost because of the theft of the sand.
Government sources close to the investigation have said there is no geological evidence to confirm that sand samples taken from the [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]hotels[/COLOR][/COLOR] were taken from Coral Springs in Trelawny. arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com

[Peter R]

The problem with calling his name (in this instance) is that the daughters now become known to the public... and the attention drawn to them could be negative.

[Peter R]

Pass me the Ritalin, please!

[Islandman]

Well, in that one they did call the names right?

The police didn't want to release them yet, maybe there was good reason for that but they got the names from a direct source.

Anyway, we are in agreement about the ones where the information is public, like an arrest.

[Islandman]

Good point. But why not just leave the story alone then? I don't know if the way it was reported adds any informational value.

[Peter R]

The value is sensationalism!

Story # 1: " Mr. Brown of May Pen bitten by dog"

vs.

Story # 2: "Prominent businessman arrested for incest"

ahh boyy...

[Sickko]

Stupid story..this is NOT a public spectacle....

[Historian]

Not a "totally different matter"!

The arrest of a person is public information, and libel is a totally different matter.

Hortical, I see your point. Nevertheless, the two matters are not always separate. Of course, I might have caused a bit of confusion by referring to Jangle, as the explanation I gave had to do specifically with what Islandman said, which was, “I heard it has something to do with the laws protecting the media though. I don't think you can just come on the air and say things about people without evidence the way the media in the US can.”

Islandman is correct, which is why I made mention of the libel defence available to Americans known as “Absence of malice”. Now, on what basis would the news media in Jamaica publish the names of the alleged guilty ones? Certainly, until the facts are released by the relevant authorities, then whatever the local media publishes would be simply hearsay.

The fact is that the communications media cannot just make arbitrary allegations against people without having direct evidence to support those statements if necessary! For a practical reference, just think back to the Richard Jewel case at the time of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the resulting finger pointing by the US media, and the consequences for several media houses.

By the way, libel is NOT “a totally different matter”, as you’ve stated. It cannot be if one looks at the definition of libel, and this is why the word “alleged” is so important in journalism!! Using or failing to use that word “alleged” (or a similar word, such as “accused”) can make the difference should the issue of a lawsuit arise. So strictly speaking it cannot be a different matter, and “public knowledge” is not a defense in libel lawsuits!!

[Gamma]

"could be slapped "....plus that is a SUPERSENSITIVE issue...not the best example still.

[Hortical]

Historian, you have missed the point. Arrest records are public information, and publishing a report that someone has been arrested does not imply guilt.

It looks like you believe if a newspaper publishes a factual report of an incident, then they are making an arbitrary allegation against an individual.

To publish a report without mentioning the names of the persons, when this is indeed public information is a disservice to the reader.

[Gamma]

the damage that spreading a story that a man has been accused of incest causes would never be repaired if he is acquitted.

your need to know who, does not outweigh that consideration.....on a related note sometimes they report the results of a sport and you have no idea what was the sport.

[Bricktop]

"could be slapped "....plus that is a SUPERSENSITIVE issue...not the best example still.

I don't have a problem with them not naming people.