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Light-bulb probe: Who is involved
published: Sunday | March 2, 2008
Atkinson
Fitz Bailey
Acting Senior Superintendent of Police, Fitz Bailey has recently been reassigned to the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID) from the Fraud squad, which he headed.
While at the Fraud squad, Bailey began the probe into the light-bulb affair and, despite his reassignment, carried the files with him to OCID. He is the lead investigator in the probe.
With over 19 years of experience in handling fraud cases, Bailey is not new to big cases.
Patrick Atkinson
Atkinson is lead attorney for Kern Spencer. A former member of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Atkinson twice represented the party in general elections (1976, 2002). He boasts an enviable success record in criminal cases.
Along with attorney-at-law Howard Hamilton, a former public defender, Atkinson won 74 cases on the trot around the island.
Called to the English Bar in 1967, Atkinson has worked with legal luminaries, Frank Phipps and Ian Ramsey.
Atkinson has made representation before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and was an assistant public defender in Northern California in the United States, where he worked for 12 years.
Deborah Martin
Martin is also representing Spencer. She worked as a prosecutor before moving to the defence benches.
Called to the Bar in 1990, Martin started her law career in the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). When she left in 1995, Martin had risen to the post of acting deputy DPP.
From the DPP's office, she joined Chamber 53, which was headed by the legendary attorney, Ian Ramsey.
The Krawle Murder trial and the Rodney Beckles case are two of the major assignments that Martin has undertaken.
Robert Fletcher
Fletcher is representing Coleen Wright, who is facing charges of three counts of money laundering, two counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of a breach of the Corruption Prevention Act.
Fletcher began practising in 1980. He has worked alongside Tony Spaulding, Hugh Small, Richard Small and Norma Linton.
The Krawle murder trial and the Rodney Beckles case are two high profile cases in which he has worked.
Valerie Neita-Robertson
Called to the Bar in 1977, Robertson is the attorney representing Rodney Chin. She has worked alongside veteran attorneys Enoc Blake, Tony Spaulding and Ian Ramsey. Among the major cases that Neita-Robertson has participated in are the Krawle, Braeton and Flankers murder trials.
Neita-Robertson is a member of the People's National Party, and she has also served as a councillor.
She was an associate of Prime Minister Bruce Golding as both were members of the National Democratic Movement steering committee when it was formed. She soon resigned and rejoined the PNP.
Interestingly, her father Vernon Neita served as campaign manager for seven-time North East St Elizabeth MP, Sydney Pagon. Kern Spencer now represents that constituency.
Kern Spencer
Spencer had been long identified as a possible PNP president and was being groomed for what many comrades predicted would be a long and successful political career.
A former president of the PNP Youth Organisation he was placed in the Senate while not yet 30 by then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
Spencer was also appointed parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of National Security with responsibility for the island's correctional facilities.
With the election of Portia Simpson Miller to lead the PNP, he was given a promotion of sorts when he was appointed junior minister in the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce (MITEC).
Born in St Elizabeth on June 21, 1974, Spencer was educated at Munro College in the parish and later attended the University of the West Indies where he earned a BSc in management and the MSc in international relations.
In 2006, he was just 150 votes shy of taking one of the four vice-president slots in the party. There was no disgrace in that loss; if anything, it underscored claims that Spencer was one for the future.
But, then came the Cuban bulb saga last October with fingers pointing at Spencer who was in charge of the project.
Coleen Wright
A native of Mountainside in St Elizabeth, Wright attended Hampton High School in St Elizabeth and later the University of the West Indies. She was a friend of Spencer's, as well as his personal assistant at MITEC.
Rodney Chin
Chin
Rodney Chin is a Jamaican businessman who spends a lot of time abroad. He has American citizenship.
Chin is the director of Universal Management Development Company Limited and Caribbean Communications and Media Network Ltd, companies which were contracted under the Cuban light-bulb project.
published: Sunday | March 2, 2008
Atkinson
Fitz Bailey
Acting Senior Superintendent of Police, Fitz Bailey has recently been reassigned to the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID) from the Fraud squad, which he headed.
While at the Fraud squad, Bailey began the probe into the light-bulb affair and, despite his reassignment, carried the files with him to OCID. He is the lead investigator in the probe.
With over 19 years of experience in handling fraud cases, Bailey is not new to big cases.
Patrick Atkinson
Atkinson is lead attorney for Kern Spencer. A former member of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Atkinson twice represented the party in general elections (1976, 2002). He boasts an enviable success record in criminal cases.
Along with attorney-at-law Howard Hamilton, a former public defender, Atkinson won 74 cases on the trot around the island.
Called to the English Bar in 1967, Atkinson has worked with legal luminaries, Frank Phipps and Ian Ramsey.
Atkinson has made representation before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and was an assistant public defender in Northern California in the United States, where he worked for 12 years.
Deborah Martin
Martin is also representing Spencer. She worked as a prosecutor before moving to the defence benches.
Called to the Bar in 1990, Martin started her law career in the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). When she left in 1995, Martin had risen to the post of acting deputy DPP.
From the DPP's office, she joined Chamber 53, which was headed by the legendary attorney, Ian Ramsey.
The Krawle Murder trial and the Rodney Beckles case are two of the major assignments that Martin has undertaken.
Robert Fletcher
Fletcher is representing Coleen Wright, who is facing charges of three counts of money laundering, two counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of a breach of the Corruption Prevention Act.
Fletcher began practising in 1980. He has worked alongside Tony Spaulding, Hugh Small, Richard Small and Norma Linton.
The Krawle murder trial and the Rodney Beckles case are two high profile cases in which he has worked.
Valerie Neita-Robertson
Called to the Bar in 1977, Robertson is the attorney representing Rodney Chin. She has worked alongside veteran attorneys Enoc Blake, Tony Spaulding and Ian Ramsey. Among the major cases that Neita-Robertson has participated in are the Krawle, Braeton and Flankers murder trials.
Neita-Robertson is a member of the People's National Party, and she has also served as a councillor.
She was an associate of Prime Minister Bruce Golding as both were members of the National Democratic Movement steering committee when it was formed. She soon resigned and rejoined the PNP.
Interestingly, her father Vernon Neita served as campaign manager for seven-time North East St Elizabeth MP, Sydney Pagon. Kern Spencer now represents that constituency.
Kern Spencer
Spencer had been long identified as a possible PNP president and was being groomed for what many comrades predicted would be a long and successful political career.
A former president of the PNP Youth Organisation he was placed in the Senate while not yet 30 by then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
Spencer was also appointed parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of National Security with responsibility for the island's correctional facilities.
With the election of Portia Simpson Miller to lead the PNP, he was given a promotion of sorts when he was appointed junior minister in the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce (MITEC).
Born in St Elizabeth on June 21, 1974, Spencer was educated at Munro College in the parish and later attended the University of the West Indies where he earned a BSc in management and the MSc in international relations.
In 2006, he was just 150 votes shy of taking one of the four vice-president slots in the party. There was no disgrace in that loss; if anything, it underscored claims that Spencer was one for the future.
But, then came the Cuban bulb saga last October with fingers pointing at Spencer who was in charge of the project.
Coleen Wright
A native of Mountainside in St Elizabeth, Wright attended Hampton High School in St Elizabeth and later the University of the West Indies. She was a friend of Spencer's, as well as his personal assistant at MITEC.
Rodney Chin
Chin
Rodney Chin is a Jamaican businessman who spends a lot of time abroad. He has American citizenship.
Chin is the director of Universal Management Development Company Limited and Caribbean Communications and Media Network Ltd, companies which were contracted under the Cuban light-bulb project.