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Letter to the editor of the Sunday Herald
The reported resignation of the Commissioner of Police, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, is disturbing for many reasons, but I wish to draw attention to what appears to be an uncanny parallel between editorials and news reports from the Jamaica Observer newspaper and major developments and announcements from the JLP administration.
Case I
On Tuesday, September 11, 2007, the editorial in the Jamaica Observer was titled, “It’s really not size that matters”. It said, “We fully understand Prime Minister-designate Bruce Golding’s, desire to keep a lean and trim Cabinet, but we don’t think that he should indulge in a numbers game.
“It would do no good for the country were the new administration to proceed on the basis of a preconceived notion that the smaller the Cabinet, the better.”
On Wednesday, September 12, 2007, Prime Minister Golding appointed an 18-member Cabinet and two days later, appointed 13 ministers of state and parliamentary secretaries, making it the second largest Cabinet in the history of the country and one of the biggest executives ever, with 31 members.
Case II
On Sunday, May 11, 2008, the lead story in the Jamaica Observer was titled, “MacMillan to get security ministry”.
It said, “Former soldier and police commissioner, Colonel Trevor MacMillan, is to be named the new minister of national security, the Sunday Observer has been reliably informed.
“According to a highly placed source, the decision to appoint MacMillan was finalised at a meeting yesterday attended by Prime Minister Bruce Golding.
“It will be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Monday, after which announcement will be made,” said the source, who asked for anonymity.”
On Monday, May 12, 2008, Colonel MacMillan “confirmed” to another media house that he was being appointed as Minister of National Security, prior to the formal announcement of the appointment by the Prime Minister later in the day.
Case III
On Sunday, June 1, 2008, the editorial in the Jamaica Observer was titled, “Commissioner Hardley Lewin needs to go.”
It said, “If the first six months of the year are anything to go by, the performance assessment he asked for in December would have come at too great a price. We think the new security minister, Col Trevor MacMillan, should have a tête-à-tête with Rear Admiral Lewin, as two former military men, and quietly advise him to go.”
On Tuesday, June 3, 2008, there was confirmation of the resignation of the commissioner.
Now these three cases may represent mere coincidence, with the newspaper having impeccable sources at the highest levels within the government, or it could be an indication of who really calls the shots in the current administration. My question is, “Who is really running the country?”
Case I
On Tuesday, September 11, 2007, the editorial in the Jamaica Observer was titled, “It’s really not size that matters”. It said, “We fully understand Prime Minister-designate Bruce Golding’s, desire to keep a lean and trim Cabinet, but we don’t think that he should indulge in a numbers game.
“It would do no good for the country were the new administration to proceed on the basis of a preconceived notion that the smaller the Cabinet, the better.”
On Wednesday, September 12, 2007, Prime Minister Golding appointed an 18-member Cabinet and two days later, appointed 13 ministers of state and parliamentary secretaries, making it the second largest Cabinet in the history of the country and one of the biggest executives ever, with 31 members.
Case II
On Sunday, May 11, 2008, the lead story in the Jamaica Observer was titled, “MacMillan to get security ministry”.
It said, “Former soldier and police commissioner, Colonel Trevor MacMillan, is to be named the new minister of national security, the Sunday Observer has been reliably informed.
“According to a highly placed source, the decision to appoint MacMillan was finalised at a meeting yesterday attended by Prime Minister Bruce Golding.
“It will be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Monday, after which announcement will be made,” said the source, who asked for anonymity.”
On Monday, May 12, 2008, Colonel MacMillan “confirmed” to another media house that he was being appointed as Minister of National Security, prior to the formal announcement of the appointment by the Prime Minister later in the day.
Case III
On Sunday, June 1, 2008, the editorial in the Jamaica Observer was titled, “Commissioner Hardley Lewin needs to go.”
It said, “If the first six months of the year are anything to go by, the performance assessment he asked for in December would have come at too great a price. We think the new security minister, Col Trevor MacMillan, should have a tête-à-tête with Rear Admiral Lewin, as two former military men, and quietly advise him to go.”
On Tuesday, June 3, 2008, there was confirmation of the resignation of the commissioner.
Now these three cases may represent mere coincidence, with the newspaper having impeccable sources at the highest levels within the government, or it could be an indication of who really calls the shots in the current administration. My question is, “Who is really running the country?”
