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Indefensible!" Since there are too many here that are reaching conclusion based on ignorance, lets hope they read.
James Robertson should be praised, not vilified
Mark Wignall
Thursday, January 08, 2009
In early December 2008 James Robertson, West St Thomas MP and minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister said he received a telephone call from constituent Rameish Simpson, community activist and entertainer. Simpson told the minister that he had been "marked for death" because of his refusal to switch political allegiance from the JLP to the PNP.
By virtue of that, it would seem to me that Simpson, who the minister says is not in the mould of a usual political activist, had more than "normal" importance to the local JLP machinery. "No, he doesn't run around with us and mobilise workers like 'normal' activists. But he has influence as a singer, an entertainer who moves around the young and is not secretive of his support for the JLP," says Minister Robertson.
On December 20, Simpson again telephoned the minister and told him that a car belonging to a well known PNP activist had been used by two local policemen, one a constable, the other an inspector, to "scrape up" four men who were helping Simpson to clear a common to be used as venue for a Christmas treat. According to Robertson, "Simpson had identified those two cops as the ones who had threatened his life."
As word spread throughout the community, the minister was forced to prevail on concerned residents to allow him to address the matter at the highest level. Robertson, who is no stranger to accepting that a constituency must be dealt with at all levels is one of that rare breed that makes it easier for a political party machinery to reach into its core support.
Unafraid of delving close to where the edges become blurred, in his effort to assist the little man with little or no voice or real power in this country, he is often seen and easily labelled as siding with those who operate on the wrong side of the law. I know this from personal experience in the 2001 Tivoli "troubles".
Robertson instructed Simpson to meet him in Kingston. "On about December 21 or 22, we met with Carolyn Gomes at the offices of Jamaicans For Justice. I met with DCP Les Green and DCP Mark Shields and ACP Scarlett."
JFJ was no stranger to Simpson. The human rights organisation had previously met him in that same month - December 10 after a cousin of his was shot by the police in the usual "shootout".
Yesterday when we spoke, Robertson said, "When he came to town on December 21 Simpson played recorded messages to me with voices indicating who was threatening to kill him." After stringing together the PNP activist car, the threats and the audio recording, Robertson suggested to Simpson that he remain out of the parish until the police had completed their investigations. "Unfortunately, Simpson did not heed my warnings."
"Early Saturday morning I was at a private office at Newport West when I received a telephone call from Simpson." According to Robertson, the man sounded in distress. "He said he had been shot by the same person whom he had previously identified as the main one who had threatened to kill him. He told me that he was hiding out in the bushes and that if they found him, he was going to be killed."
As his speech wavered between incoherence and distress, Robertson gathered that he had been shot in a leg, was bleeding badly and obviously needed urgent attention. "I learned that he was close to an orchid farm in Norris. He implored me to send SSP Cochran who he had been working with for the last three weeks."
As Robertson set out in the haste that the situation demanded he made telephone contact with all concerned. "I called DCP Les Green. He said he would make checks and he did. I called SSP McDonald-Barker and told her that Mr. Simpson alleged that he had been shot by a police officer. I told her where he was and that it was my view that he had to be saved as he was a key figure in an investigation involving likely police corruption."
According to Robertson, senior officers Les Green and McDonald-Barker made contact with at least four highly ranked officers who contacted him in quick time. "As I travelled to retrieve him, I had concerns for him plus - and you know I don't scare easily - I had concerns for my own safety.
" I asked for additional police protection for myself and Simpson. As I would do in these instances when I am unsure if I will see another day, I called my mother and spoke to her. I wouldn't call my wife because she would worry too much."
Robertson told all concerned that he was on the way to pick up Simpson and would be taking him to the KPH. He arrived in Norris in less than an hour. "By the time I arrived my own security detail had also arrived. I picked up Gary Lee Henry, councillor for the Llandewey division after which I was able to identify various police officers, including the one that Simpson said had shot him."
When the West St Thomas MP asked about Simpson and a shooting, the response was, "No one had been shot." I became very concerned again. There was no delineated crime scene. Citizens told me that the police told them that no shots were fired. When pressed by citizens, according to them, the police told them that it was Simpson who had fired shots at them. I called DCP Les Green again."
Robertson's concerns were again heightened as one and a half hours after the local police said they had been fired upon, checks by him indicated that no reports had been made to either the local stations or the police radio control.
Norris is a country district which lies on a road about two miles long. It runs south to north and to reach to the main road, because of the thick overgrowth, there is only one way out. "I spoke to the inspector on the scene, for the second time. On request he gave me his cell phone number and I phoned DCP Green and passed it on to him. As far as I am aware, both men spoke to each other," said Robertson.
"As I waited on the main road for additional police I again called DCP Green," Robertson continued. "By this time citizens told me that they saw the police removing spent shells from the area. As two unmarked police cars arrived we reached Simpson who was by then in a semi-conscious state. As he was placed in the rear of my vehicle, he was unable to speak as it was clear he had lost a lot of blood. We were followed by my security detail along with other police cars, all the way to the Kingston Public Hospital."
About two hours later family members told the minister that Simpson was detained while being treated. They said it was their information that he was to be returned to the Morant Bay lockup and expressed concerns for his safety. The minister acted again to avoid that likelihood.
On his release from hospital, Simpson was placed at the Denham Town lockup and then removed to the Constant Spring police station where, at the time of writing (Wednesday midday), he has not been charged nor have the police retrieved any firearm(s).
To be continued on Sunday in Wignall's World.
observemark@gmail.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...T_VILIFIED.asp
James Robertson should be praised, not vilified
Mark Wignall
Thursday, January 08, 2009
In early December 2008 James Robertson, West St Thomas MP and minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister said he received a telephone call from constituent Rameish Simpson, community activist and entertainer. Simpson told the minister that he had been "marked for death" because of his refusal to switch political allegiance from the JLP to the PNP.
By virtue of that, it would seem to me that Simpson, who the minister says is not in the mould of a usual political activist, had more than "normal" importance to the local JLP machinery. "No, he doesn't run around with us and mobilise workers like 'normal' activists. But he has influence as a singer, an entertainer who moves around the young and is not secretive of his support for the JLP," says Minister Robertson.
On December 20, Simpson again telephoned the minister and told him that a car belonging to a well known PNP activist had been used by two local policemen, one a constable, the other an inspector, to "scrape up" four men who were helping Simpson to clear a common to be used as venue for a Christmas treat. According to Robertson, "Simpson had identified those two cops as the ones who had threatened his life."
As word spread throughout the community, the minister was forced to prevail on concerned residents to allow him to address the matter at the highest level. Robertson, who is no stranger to accepting that a constituency must be dealt with at all levels is one of that rare breed that makes it easier for a political party machinery to reach into its core support.
Unafraid of delving close to where the edges become blurred, in his effort to assist the little man with little or no voice or real power in this country, he is often seen and easily labelled as siding with those who operate on the wrong side of the law. I know this from personal experience in the 2001 Tivoli "troubles".
Robertson instructed Simpson to meet him in Kingston. "On about December 21 or 22, we met with Carolyn Gomes at the offices of Jamaicans For Justice. I met with DCP Les Green and DCP Mark Shields and ACP Scarlett."
JFJ was no stranger to Simpson. The human rights organisation had previously met him in that same month - December 10 after a cousin of his was shot by the police in the usual "shootout".
Yesterday when we spoke, Robertson said, "When he came to town on December 21 Simpson played recorded messages to me with voices indicating who was threatening to kill him." After stringing together the PNP activist car, the threats and the audio recording, Robertson suggested to Simpson that he remain out of the parish until the police had completed their investigations. "Unfortunately, Simpson did not heed my warnings."
"Early Saturday morning I was at a private office at Newport West when I received a telephone call from Simpson." According to Robertson, the man sounded in distress. "He said he had been shot by the same person whom he had previously identified as the main one who had threatened to kill him. He told me that he was hiding out in the bushes and that if they found him, he was going to be killed."
As his speech wavered between incoherence and distress, Robertson gathered that he had been shot in a leg, was bleeding badly and obviously needed urgent attention. "I learned that he was close to an orchid farm in Norris. He implored me to send SSP Cochran who he had been working with for the last three weeks."
As Robertson set out in the haste that the situation demanded he made telephone contact with all concerned. "I called DCP Les Green. He said he would make checks and he did. I called SSP McDonald-Barker and told her that Mr. Simpson alleged that he had been shot by a police officer. I told her where he was and that it was my view that he had to be saved as he was a key figure in an investigation involving likely police corruption."
According to Robertson, senior officers Les Green and McDonald-Barker made contact with at least four highly ranked officers who contacted him in quick time. "As I travelled to retrieve him, I had concerns for him plus - and you know I don't scare easily - I had concerns for my own safety.
" I asked for additional police protection for myself and Simpson. As I would do in these instances when I am unsure if I will see another day, I called my mother and spoke to her. I wouldn't call my wife because she would worry too much."
Robertson told all concerned that he was on the way to pick up Simpson and would be taking him to the KPH. He arrived in Norris in less than an hour. "By the time I arrived my own security detail had also arrived. I picked up Gary Lee Henry, councillor for the Llandewey division after which I was able to identify various police officers, including the one that Simpson said had shot him."
When the West St Thomas MP asked about Simpson and a shooting, the response was, "No one had been shot." I became very concerned again. There was no delineated crime scene. Citizens told me that the police told them that no shots were fired. When pressed by citizens, according to them, the police told them that it was Simpson who had fired shots at them. I called DCP Les Green again."
Robertson's concerns were again heightened as one and a half hours after the local police said they had been fired upon, checks by him indicated that no reports had been made to either the local stations or the police radio control.
Norris is a country district which lies on a road about two miles long. It runs south to north and to reach to the main road, because of the thick overgrowth, there is only one way out. "I spoke to the inspector on the scene, for the second time. On request he gave me his cell phone number and I phoned DCP Green and passed it on to him. As far as I am aware, both men spoke to each other," said Robertson.
"As I waited on the main road for additional police I again called DCP Green," Robertson continued. "By this time citizens told me that they saw the police removing spent shells from the area. As two unmarked police cars arrived we reached Simpson who was by then in a semi-conscious state. As he was placed in the rear of my vehicle, he was unable to speak as it was clear he had lost a lot of blood. We were followed by my security detail along with other police cars, all the way to the Kingston Public Hospital."
About two hours later family members told the minister that Simpson was detained while being treated. They said it was their information that he was to be returned to the Morant Bay lockup and expressed concerns for his safety. The minister acted again to avoid that likelihood.
On his release from hospital, Simpson was placed at the Denham Town lockup and then removed to the Constant Spring police station where, at the time of writing (Wednesday midday), he has not been charged nor have the police retrieved any firearm(s).
To be continued on Sunday in Wignall's World.
observemark@gmail.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...T_VILIFIED.asp
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