'Political ties with gunmen not severed'

[Lazie]

OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN on National Security Peter Bunting on Tuesday ruffled the feathers of members of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), suggesting that it has failed to break its association with gunmen.
Bunting also levelled the criticism against his own People's National Party (PNP).

Pointing to the MacMillan Report, which recommended that political parties disassociate themselves from criminal gangs, Bunting said that both parties have failed to give a clear impression of any such move.
"In the last year, we had a number of incidents which would certainly suggest to the public that little headway is being made in this regard," Bunting, who is also member of parliament for Central Manchester and general secretary of the PNP, said.

Shooting at conference
The opposition member pulled on the example of the shooting death of David Lindsay, 35, of Lizard Town, west Kingston, at the JLP's 65th annual conference at the National Stadium last November.
"The most alarming, perhaps, was the fatal shooting incident at the National Arena during the JLP's annual party conference, where it is alleged that competing gang members providing security backstage got into a shoot-out," Bunting said.

According to the opposition spokesman, the "example is not raised with any holier-than-thou attitude because criminals gangs associate themselves with both political parties for their own benefit, but it should be a wake-up call to the entire society".
Bunting, however, neglected to cite examples of his party's ties with gunmen.

Both major political parties have had a history of links with criminals. Researchers have labelled 13 of the country's 60 constituencies as garrisons, which are normally identified with political violence and overwhelming support of one political party.
JLP members were adamant that Bunting should not have made the statement about gunmen being used to provide security at its conference.
East St Andrew MP St Aubyn Bartlett and North East St Catherine MP Gregory Mair demanded that Bunting withdraw the statement.

Leader of Government Business Andrew Holness searched through the Standing Orders, apparently looking for a grounds to get Bunting to withdraw. He found none and later used his position of House leader to 'set the record straight'.


Innuendoes
"We on this side are very concerned about certain innuendoes that he made," Holness said.
He added: "The conference of the Jamaica Labour Party that he alluded to was secured by private registered security companies. No gangs were used to secure the conference."
The JLP had mandated attorney-at-law George Soutar to conduct an investigation of the shooting incident, the outcome of which has not been made public.
daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ews/news2.html

[Mosiah]

Innuendoes
"We on this side are very concerned about certain innuendoes that he made," Holness said.
He added: "The conference of the Jamaica Labour Party that he alluded to was secured by private registered security companies. No gangs were used to secure the conference."
The JLP had mandated attorney-at-law George Soutar to conduct an investigation of the shooting incident, the outcome of which has not been made public.
daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ews/news2.html

What does using a private security company have to do with anything?!? Why can't we have a report on what happened?!?

[Hortical]

The is a waste of time and the PNP & JLP association and the hugging up of gangsters is old news!

[Gamma]

this dance again?

[Hortical]

Yeah, that's why Jamaica desperately needs a "Jerry Rawlings". Democratic institutions have failed miserably in third world countries.

[Gamma]

that is what i have been saying for many a year.......my only question now is "who" and "how".

[Karl]

Politician interfered with crime scene

Police probing claim politician interfered with crime scene

BY H G HELPS, Editor-at-Large
helpsh@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, July 10, 2009
The police are investigating an incident involving an active Jamaica Labour Party politician who they claimed interfered with a crime scene in
the South East St Andrew area on Wednesday.

The politician, who frequents the Jacques Road area of the constituency, was said to have picked up the body of a man slain by gunmen and placed it in his vehicle, after the incident between rival gangs that also left three women injured, police personnel on the scene told the Observer.

But the police high command has not confirmed the information and other sources have denied the action.

"Who is driving that vehicle? Block that Prado," shouted a voice over the police radio at the time of the incident.

The body remained on the sidewalk for hours while officials from the Major Investigation Taskforce processed the scene.

"That's misinformation," the politician said when contacted by the Observer yesterday. "That matter was cleared up from yesterday," he said without elaborating.

Senior police officials declined to speak on the record about the incident, which one described as a "very delicate matter".

However, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of crime Owen Ellington told the Observer that investigations were continuing.

"I have been doing some checks on the allegations, but I cannot confirm anything yet," Ellington said.
"I can confirm that he (the politician) did take somebody to the Stadium Police Station, but the person that he took was not a gunman or the man who was killed. My people are probing the matter now," said Ellington, who spoke to the paper from Jacques Road late yesterday.

The police had not released the identity of the dead man, but maintained that the man was shot by members of a rival gang who have been at each other's throats in the struggle for control of turf, drugs and guns, a fight that has escalated over several months.

Citizens of the area have blamed the joint police and military team for injuring the women.

The incident forced motorists travelling in the Mountain View Avenue area to find alternative routes, as police blocked a section of the road.
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";

[Don1]

OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN on National Security Peter Bunting on Tuesday ruffled the feathers of members of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), suggesting that it has failed to break its association with gunmen.
Bunting also levelled the criticism against his own People's National Party (PNP).

Pointing to the MacMillan Report, which recommended that political parties disassociate themselves from criminal gangs, Bunting said that both parties have failed to give a clear impression of any such move.
"In the last year, we had a number of incidents which would certainly suggest to the public that little headway is being made in this regard," Bunting, who is also member of parliament for Central Manchester and general secretary of the PNP, said.

Shooting at conference
The opposition member pulled on the example of the shooting death of David Lindsay, 35, of Lizard Town, west Kingston, at the JLP's 65th annual conference at the National Stadium last November.
"The most alarming, perhaps, was the fatal shooting incident at the National Arena during the JLP's annual party conference, where it is alleged that competing gang members providing security backstage got into a shoot-out," Bunting said.

According to the opposition spokesman, the "example is not raised with any holier-than-thou attitude because criminals gangs associate themselves with both political parties for their own benefit, but it should be a wake-up call to the entire society".
Bunting, however, neglected to cite examples of his party's ties with gunmen.

Both major political parties have had a history of links with criminals. Researchers have labelled 13 of the country's 60 constituencies as garrisons, which are normally identified with political violence and overwhelming support of one political party.
JLP members were adamant that Bunting should not have made the statement about gunmen being used to provide security at its conference.
East St Andrew MP St Aubyn Bartlett and North East St Catherine MP Gregory Mair demanded that Bunting withdraw the statement.

Leader of Government Business Andrew Holness searched through the Standing Orders, apparently looking for a grounds to get Bunting to withdraw. He found none and later used his position of House leader to 'set the record straight'.


Innuendoes
"We on this side are very concerned about certain innuendoes that he made," Holness said.
He added: "The conference of the Jamaica Labour Party that he alluded to was secured by private registered security companies. No gangs were used to secure the conference."

The JLP had mandated attorney-at-law George Soutar to conduct an investigation of the shooting incident, the outcome of which has not been made public.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ews/news2.html

Nuh police wuk dat?? Police eva investigate dat deh prekeh?? Maybe.. but mi neva ear nuh one eld responsible.

Ah wha dis faada??

[Gamma]

well i would imagine that the police would conduct their own criminal investigation but it is not unheard of for the party to conduct its' own investigation.