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Bruce may be twice as smart as we give him credit for.
What if the driva admission that he was involved is really to send a message to Uncle Sam that this was really a Goverment to Goverment deal while telling Jamaicans that this is really a JLP to US Goverment lobby?
Bottom line is Bruce will not be PM forever and if Uncle Sam decides to go after anybody for this it will take years and Bruce and the others will have the option to claim that this was realy a goverment to government deal paid for with JLP funds.
It is just plain deception, Mr Golding
Mark Wignall
Thursday, May 13, 2010
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";
IT must rank as one of the greatest acts of political deception ever played out on the Jamaican people. Bruce Golding, the leader who most strongly expressed his distaste for criminal politics and towered over PJ Patterson and Eddie Seaga in that regard - in the period 1995 to 1997 when he left the JLP to form the NDM - is now in 2010 being perceived as the leader doing the most to advance the cause of that infernal, destructive union.
The prime minister's mind-boggling "revelation" in the House on Tuesday that it was he, acting as JLP party leader, who had sanctioned the engagement of American law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to lobby the US government on treaty matters, has opened the door to the greater issue having to do with the leadership competence of Mr Golding in his role as prime minister and the simpler but more important matter of his trustworthiness.
GOLDING... his ‘revelation’ has opened the door to his leadership competence and trustworthiness.
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GOLDING... his ‘revelation’ has opened the door to his leadership competence and trustworthiness.
1/1
Does the PM expect the people of Jamaica to buy into his explanation that his strident response to the PNP's Dr Peter Phillips' questions in the House on March 16 was more than sufficient because the questions asked concerned the JLP Government's engagement of the lobbying firm? To follow the prime minister's logic as he drew for the rule book of Parliament, it was strictly a party matter, therefore there was no pressing need for him to present an explanation to the people of this country. Does the PM really expect any sensible person to accept that reasoning?
Treaty matters are a state-to-state issue, so on that basis, how did a political party insert itself into such a matter where it had no calling or powers under the constitution to do so? Unbelievable!
In 2006 when he, as leader of the Opposition, raked the PNP government over the coals on Trafigura, in quick time the PNP got together and all of its members settled on a common story - the amount of $31 million which was transferred from Trafigura Beheer to a special account held by then general secretary of the PNP and information minister, Colin Campbell, was a gift from Trafigura to the PNP.
In the Manatt, Phelps and Phillips matter, one of immensely higher import than Trafigura, it still seems to me that the prime minister had no knowledge of it when questioned by Peter Phillips on March 16. It is my belief that the prime minister wants to present a front to the people of this country that he is still in charge of the administration. So, even if, as some suspect, some person or persons in the administration went behind his back to arrange the engagement of the US lobbying firm in November last year, the revelations on Tuesday is his attempt to claw back something to convince us that the buck stops with him, even as JLP leader.
Any prime minister that allows his party's personal touch or involvement on behalf of a key party supporter to define the Jamaican people nationally and internationally as global rogues and then sets out to weave a circuitous tale in explanation of that act must accept that from here on, anything he says to us will be taken as an expression of something other than the truth.
In 2006 Mr Golding had called for the PNP to resign over the Trafigura revelations. Well, in 2010, in our greater moment of shame, what do you believe must be asked of you, Prime Minister?
Minister Tufton,
over to you
Two Sundays ago I wrote about a matter surrounding a fishing vessel, the MV Abbey owned by DYC Fishing, a company operated by one Mr Frank Cox.
The vessel was intercepted and detained by the Jamaica Customs Department on April 1 in Port Antonio. Jamaica Customs said they had reasonable grounds to believe that the cargo of over 2000 pounds of lobster found on board originated from international waters and ought to be subject to Customs duties and taxes.
While the owners claimed that the cargo was obtained in Jamaican waters, Customs records alleged that the vessel Abbey had not entered Jamaica's territorial waters for a month prior to its April 1 arrival. I had highlighted the fact of DYC's involvement in another matter which ended up in the US court system. Well, it doesn't end there, and as I had previously stated, if the Jamaican authorities are serious about regulating those who are given licences to fish in our waters, much more due diligence must be applied especially in the face of dwindling fish supplies.
In December 2009 DYC was involved in yet another matter in the US court system, this time, specifically the Miami-Dade jurisdiction. The following was culled from the court's website in reference to a company called Perla Del Caribe (the plaintiffs) in long drawn out action from 2002 to 2009 against DYC fishing.
"Perla and DYC entered into a joint venture agreement to split the profits of the 2000-01 conch fishing season. Perla, a Miami financier, fronted Jamaica-based DYC, the processor and distributor of the conch. Perla was to receive two-thirds of the profits of the conch and DYC, one-third. Perla claims the agreement was for an exclusive distributorship. DYC disputed this. When DYC claimed it made no profits during the year, Perla demanded verification, arguing that DYC sold 26 to 28 containers of conch for $4 million during the season. After the first complaint was filed, the defence argued lack of jurisdiction. Appellate courts ruled on the issue twice with a judge finally declaring proper jurisdiction existed. Perla alleges it sent repeated discovery requests to DYC for tax returns and other documents detailing profits but got no response.
"In 2007, the judge entered a default judgement in favour of the plaintiffs, struck the defence pleadings and sanctioned them for discovery abuses. The defence appealed and lost. A trial was scheduled for the unliquidated damages plaintiffs were claiming, $1.26 million. Plaintiffs made an initial offer of judgement of $449,000, which was rejected by defence.
"Plaintiff case: That the defendant refused to turn over records even after a magistrate judge commanded him to do so. The main purchaser of the conch also testified as a witness for the plaintiff.
"Defence case: That the profits were below expectations, due to a number of events during that season that caused additional costs to be incurred. One example - that some containers of conch started defrosting so they had to be reprocessed. The defendant testified by videotaped deposition.
"Outcome: After a two-day trial, jurors deliberated two hours before returning a verdict of $1,034,000."
My point is that Minister Tufton needs to protect Jamaicans who are genuinely involved in the fishing industry. At the same time there should be no hesitation in waving a red flag at those who have a record of breaching guidelines in other jurisdictions, once we have proof in this regard.
observemark@gmail.com
It is just plain deception, Mr Golding
Mark Wignall
Thursday, May 13, 2010
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";
IT must rank as one of the greatest acts of political deception ever played out on the Jamaican people. Bruce Golding, the leader who most strongly expressed his distaste for criminal politics and towered over PJ Patterson and Eddie Seaga in that regard - in the period 1995 to 1997 when he left the JLP to form the NDM - is now in 2010 being perceived as the leader doing the most to advance the cause of that infernal, destructive union.
The prime minister's mind-boggling "revelation" in the House on Tuesday that it was he, acting as JLP party leader, who had sanctioned the engagement of American law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to lobby the US government on treaty matters, has opened the door to the greater issue having to do with the leadership competence of Mr Golding in his role as prime minister and the simpler but more important matter of his trustworthiness.
GOLDING... his ‘revelation’ has opened the door to his leadership competence and trustworthiness.
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GOLDING... his ‘revelation’ has opened the door to his leadership competence and trustworthiness.
1/1
Does the PM expect the people of Jamaica to buy into his explanation that his strident response to the PNP's Dr Peter Phillips' questions in the House on March 16 was more than sufficient because the questions asked concerned the JLP Government's engagement of the lobbying firm? To follow the prime minister's logic as he drew for the rule book of Parliament, it was strictly a party matter, therefore there was no pressing need for him to present an explanation to the people of this country. Does the PM really expect any sensible person to accept that reasoning?
Treaty matters are a state-to-state issue, so on that basis, how did a political party insert itself into such a matter where it had no calling or powers under the constitution to do so? Unbelievable!
In 2006 when he, as leader of the Opposition, raked the PNP government over the coals on Trafigura, in quick time the PNP got together and all of its members settled on a common story - the amount of $31 million which was transferred from Trafigura Beheer to a special account held by then general secretary of the PNP and information minister, Colin Campbell, was a gift from Trafigura to the PNP.
In the Manatt, Phelps and Phillips matter, one of immensely higher import than Trafigura, it still seems to me that the prime minister had no knowledge of it when questioned by Peter Phillips on March 16. It is my belief that the prime minister wants to present a front to the people of this country that he is still in charge of the administration. So, even if, as some suspect, some person or persons in the administration went behind his back to arrange the engagement of the US lobbying firm in November last year, the revelations on Tuesday is his attempt to claw back something to convince us that the buck stops with him, even as JLP leader.
Any prime minister that allows his party's personal touch or involvement on behalf of a key party supporter to define the Jamaican people nationally and internationally as global rogues and then sets out to weave a circuitous tale in explanation of that act must accept that from here on, anything he says to us will be taken as an expression of something other than the truth.
In 2006 Mr Golding had called for the PNP to resign over the Trafigura revelations. Well, in 2010, in our greater moment of shame, what do you believe must be asked of you, Prime Minister?
Minister Tufton,
over to you
Two Sundays ago I wrote about a matter surrounding a fishing vessel, the MV Abbey owned by DYC Fishing, a company operated by one Mr Frank Cox.
The vessel was intercepted and detained by the Jamaica Customs Department on April 1 in Port Antonio. Jamaica Customs said they had reasonable grounds to believe that the cargo of over 2000 pounds of lobster found on board originated from international waters and ought to be subject to Customs duties and taxes.
While the owners claimed that the cargo was obtained in Jamaican waters, Customs records alleged that the vessel Abbey had not entered Jamaica's territorial waters for a month prior to its April 1 arrival. I had highlighted the fact of DYC's involvement in another matter which ended up in the US court system. Well, it doesn't end there, and as I had previously stated, if the Jamaican authorities are serious about regulating those who are given licences to fish in our waters, much more due diligence must be applied especially in the face of dwindling fish supplies.
In December 2009 DYC was involved in yet another matter in the US court system, this time, specifically the Miami-Dade jurisdiction. The following was culled from the court's website in reference to a company called Perla Del Caribe (the plaintiffs) in long drawn out action from 2002 to 2009 against DYC fishing.
"Perla and DYC entered into a joint venture agreement to split the profits of the 2000-01 conch fishing season. Perla, a Miami financier, fronted Jamaica-based DYC, the processor and distributor of the conch. Perla was to receive two-thirds of the profits of the conch and DYC, one-third. Perla claims the agreement was for an exclusive distributorship. DYC disputed this. When DYC claimed it made no profits during the year, Perla demanded verification, arguing that DYC sold 26 to 28 containers of conch for $4 million during the season. After the first complaint was filed, the defence argued lack of jurisdiction. Appellate courts ruled on the issue twice with a judge finally declaring proper jurisdiction existed. Perla alleges it sent repeated discovery requests to DYC for tax returns and other documents detailing profits but got no response.
"In 2007, the judge entered a default judgement in favour of the plaintiffs, struck the defence pleadings and sanctioned them for discovery abuses. The defence appealed and lost. A trial was scheduled for the unliquidated damages plaintiffs were claiming, $1.26 million. Plaintiffs made an initial offer of judgement of $449,000, which was rejected by defence.
"Plaintiff case: That the defendant refused to turn over records even after a magistrate judge commanded him to do so. The main purchaser of the conch also testified as a witness for the plaintiff.
"Defence case: That the profits were below expectations, due to a number of events during that season that caused additional costs to be incurred. One example - that some containers of conch started defrosting so they had to be reprocessed. The defendant testified by videotaped deposition.
"Outcome: After a two-day trial, jurors deliberated two hours before returning a verdict of $1,034,000."
My point is that Minister Tufton needs to protect Jamaicans who are genuinely involved in the fishing industry. At the same time there should be no hesitation in waving a red flag at those who have a record of breaching guidelines in other jurisdictions, once we have proof in this regard.
observemark@gmail.com
What if the driva admission that he was involved is really to send a message to Uncle Sam that this was really a Goverment to Goverment deal while telling Jamaicans that this is really a JLP to US Goverment lobby?
Bottom line is Bruce will not be PM forever and if Uncle Sam decides to go after anybody for this it will take years and Bruce and the others will have the option to claim that this was realy a goverment to government deal paid for with JLP funds.
It is just plain deception, Mr Golding
Mark Wignall
Thursday, May 13, 2010
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";
IT must rank as one of the greatest acts of political deception ever played out on the Jamaican people. Bruce Golding, the leader who most strongly expressed his distaste for criminal politics and towered over PJ Patterson and Eddie Seaga in that regard - in the period 1995 to 1997 when he left the JLP to form the NDM - is now in 2010 being perceived as the leader doing the most to advance the cause of that infernal, destructive union.
The prime minister's mind-boggling "revelation" in the House on Tuesday that it was he, acting as JLP party leader, who had sanctioned the engagement of American law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to lobby the US government on treaty matters, has opened the door to the greater issue having to do with the leadership competence of Mr Golding in his role as prime minister and the simpler but more important matter of his trustworthiness.
GOLDING... his ‘revelation’ has opened the door to his leadership competence and trustworthiness.
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GOLDING... his ‘revelation’ has opened the door to his leadership competence and trustworthiness. 1/1 Does the PM expect the people of Jamaica to buy into his explanation that his strident response to the PNP's Dr Peter Phillips' questions in the House on March 16 was more than sufficient because the questions asked concerned the JLP Government's engagement of the lobbying firm? To follow the prime minister's logic as he drew for the rule book of Parliament, it was strictly a party matter, therefore there was no pressing need for him to present an explanation to the people of this country. Does the PM really expect any sensible person to accept that reasoning?
Treaty matters are a state-to-state issue, so on that basis, how did a political party insert itself into such a matter where it had no calling or powers under the constitution to do so? Unbelievable!
In 2006 when he, as leader of the Opposition, raked the PNP government over the coals on Trafigura, in quick time the PNP got together and all of its members settled on a common story - the amount of $31 million which was transferred from Trafigura Beheer to a special account held by then general secretary of the PNP and information minister, Colin Campbell, was a gift from Trafigura to the PNP.
In the Manatt, Phelps and Phillips matter, one of immensely higher import than Trafigura, it still seems to me that the prime minister had no knowledge of it when questioned by Peter Phillips on March 16. It is my belief that the prime minister wants to present a front to the people of this country that he is still in charge of the administration. So, even if, as some suspect, some person or persons in the administration went behind his back to arrange the engagement of the US lobbying firm in November last year, the revelations on Tuesday is his attempt to claw back something to convince us that the buck stops with him, even as JLP leader.
Any prime minister that allows his party's personal touch or involvement on behalf of a key party supporter to define the Jamaican people nationally and internationally as global rogues and then sets out to weave a circuitous tale in explanation of that act must accept that from here on, anything he says to us will be taken as an expression of something other than the truth.
In 2006 Mr Golding had called for the PNP to resign over the Trafigura revelations. Well, in 2010, in our greater moment of shame, what do you believe must be asked of you, Prime Minister?
Minister Tufton,
over to you
Two Sundays ago I wrote about a matter surrounding a fishing vessel, the MV Abbey owned by DYC Fishing, a company operated by one Mr Frank Cox.
The vessel was intercepted and detained by the Jamaica Customs Department on April 1 in Port Antonio. Jamaica Customs said they had reasonable grounds to believe that the cargo of over 2000 pounds of lobster found on board originated from international waters and ought to be subject to Customs duties and taxes.
While the owners claimed that the cargo was obtained in Jamaican waters, Customs records alleged that the vessel Abbey had not entered Jamaica's territorial waters for a month prior to its April 1 arrival. I had highlighted the fact of DYC's involvement in another matter which ended up in the US court system. Well, it doesn't end there, and as I had previously stated, if the Jamaican authorities are serious about regulating those who are given licences to fish in our waters, much more due diligence must be applied especially in the face of dwindling fish supplies.
In December 2009 DYC was involved in yet another matter in the US court system, this time, specifically the Miami-Dade jurisdiction. The following was culled from the court's website in reference to a company called Perla Del Caribe (the plaintiffs) in long drawn out action from 2002 to 2009 against DYC fishing.
"Perla and DYC entered into a joint venture agreement to split the profits of the 2000-01 conch fishing season. Perla, a Miami financier, fronted Jamaica-based DYC, the processor and distributor of the conch. Perla was to receive two-thirds of the profits of the conch and DYC, one-third. Perla claims the agreement was for an exclusive distributorship. DYC disputed this. When DYC claimed it made no profits during the year, Perla demanded verification, arguing that DYC sold 26 to 28 containers of conch for $4 million during the season. After the first complaint was filed, the defence argued lack of jurisdiction. Appellate courts ruled on the issue twice with a judge finally declaring proper jurisdiction existed. Perla alleges it sent repeated discovery requests to DYC for tax returns and other documents detailing profits but got no response.
"In 2007, the judge entered a default judgement in favour of the plaintiffs, struck the defence pleadings and sanctioned them for discovery abuses. The defence appealed and lost. A trial was scheduled for the unliquidated damages plaintiffs were claiming, $1.26 million. Plaintiffs made an initial offer of judgement of $449,000, which was rejected by defence.
"Plaintiff case: That the defendant refused to turn over records even after a magistrate judge commanded him to do so. The main purchaser of the conch also testified as a witness for the plaintiff.
"Defence case: That the profits were below expectations, due to a number of events during that season that caused additional costs to be incurred. One example - that some containers of conch started defrosting so they had to be reprocessed. The defendant testified by videotaped deposition.
"Outcome: After a two-day trial, jurors deliberated two hours before returning a verdict of $1,034,000."
My point is that Minister Tufton needs to protect Jamaicans who are genuinely involved in the fishing industry. At the same time there should be no hesitation in waving a red flag at those who have a record of breaching guidelines in other jurisdictions, once we have proof in this regard.
observemark@gmail.com
It is just plain deception, Mr Golding
Mark Wignall
Thursday, May 13, 2010
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";
IT must rank as one of the greatest acts of political deception ever played out on the Jamaican people. Bruce Golding, the leader who most strongly expressed his distaste for criminal politics and towered over PJ Patterson and Eddie Seaga in that regard - in the period 1995 to 1997 when he left the JLP to form the NDM - is now in 2010 being perceived as the leader doing the most to advance the cause of that infernal, destructive union.
The prime minister's mind-boggling "revelation" in the House on Tuesday that it was he, acting as JLP party leader, who had sanctioned the engagement of American law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to lobby the US government on treaty matters, has opened the door to the greater issue having to do with the leadership competence of Mr Golding in his role as prime minister and the simpler but more important matter of his trustworthiness.
GOLDING... his ‘revelation’ has opened the door to his leadership competence and trustworthiness.
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GOLDING... his ‘revelation’ has opened the door to his leadership competence and trustworthiness. 1/1 Does the PM expect the people of Jamaica to buy into his explanation that his strident response to the PNP's Dr Peter Phillips' questions in the House on March 16 was more than sufficient because the questions asked concerned the JLP Government's engagement of the lobbying firm? To follow the prime minister's logic as he drew for the rule book of Parliament, it was strictly a party matter, therefore there was no pressing need for him to present an explanation to the people of this country. Does the PM really expect any sensible person to accept that reasoning?
Treaty matters are a state-to-state issue, so on that basis, how did a political party insert itself into such a matter where it had no calling or powers under the constitution to do so? Unbelievable!
In 2006 when he, as leader of the Opposition, raked the PNP government over the coals on Trafigura, in quick time the PNP got together and all of its members settled on a common story - the amount of $31 million which was transferred from Trafigura Beheer to a special account held by then general secretary of the PNP and information minister, Colin Campbell, was a gift from Trafigura to the PNP.
In the Manatt, Phelps and Phillips matter, one of immensely higher import than Trafigura, it still seems to me that the prime minister had no knowledge of it when questioned by Peter Phillips on March 16. It is my belief that the prime minister wants to present a front to the people of this country that he is still in charge of the administration. So, even if, as some suspect, some person or persons in the administration went behind his back to arrange the engagement of the US lobbying firm in November last year, the revelations on Tuesday is his attempt to claw back something to convince us that the buck stops with him, even as JLP leader.
Any prime minister that allows his party's personal touch or involvement on behalf of a key party supporter to define the Jamaican people nationally and internationally as global rogues and then sets out to weave a circuitous tale in explanation of that act must accept that from here on, anything he says to us will be taken as an expression of something other than the truth.
In 2006 Mr Golding had called for the PNP to resign over the Trafigura revelations. Well, in 2010, in our greater moment of shame, what do you believe must be asked of you, Prime Minister?
Minister Tufton,
over to you
Two Sundays ago I wrote about a matter surrounding a fishing vessel, the MV Abbey owned by DYC Fishing, a company operated by one Mr Frank Cox.
The vessel was intercepted and detained by the Jamaica Customs Department on April 1 in Port Antonio. Jamaica Customs said they had reasonable grounds to believe that the cargo of over 2000 pounds of lobster found on board originated from international waters and ought to be subject to Customs duties and taxes.
While the owners claimed that the cargo was obtained in Jamaican waters, Customs records alleged that the vessel Abbey had not entered Jamaica's territorial waters for a month prior to its April 1 arrival. I had highlighted the fact of DYC's involvement in another matter which ended up in the US court system. Well, it doesn't end there, and as I had previously stated, if the Jamaican authorities are serious about regulating those who are given licences to fish in our waters, much more due diligence must be applied especially in the face of dwindling fish supplies.
In December 2009 DYC was involved in yet another matter in the US court system, this time, specifically the Miami-Dade jurisdiction. The following was culled from the court's website in reference to a company called Perla Del Caribe (the plaintiffs) in long drawn out action from 2002 to 2009 against DYC fishing.
"Perla and DYC entered into a joint venture agreement to split the profits of the 2000-01 conch fishing season. Perla, a Miami financier, fronted Jamaica-based DYC, the processor and distributor of the conch. Perla was to receive two-thirds of the profits of the conch and DYC, one-third. Perla claims the agreement was for an exclusive distributorship. DYC disputed this. When DYC claimed it made no profits during the year, Perla demanded verification, arguing that DYC sold 26 to 28 containers of conch for $4 million during the season. After the first complaint was filed, the defence argued lack of jurisdiction. Appellate courts ruled on the issue twice with a judge finally declaring proper jurisdiction existed. Perla alleges it sent repeated discovery requests to DYC for tax returns and other documents detailing profits but got no response.
"In 2007, the judge entered a default judgement in favour of the plaintiffs, struck the defence pleadings and sanctioned them for discovery abuses. The defence appealed and lost. A trial was scheduled for the unliquidated damages plaintiffs were claiming, $1.26 million. Plaintiffs made an initial offer of judgement of $449,000, which was rejected by defence.
"Plaintiff case: That the defendant refused to turn over records even after a magistrate judge commanded him to do so. The main purchaser of the conch also testified as a witness for the plaintiff.
"Defence case: That the profits were below expectations, due to a number of events during that season that caused additional costs to be incurred. One example - that some containers of conch started defrosting so they had to be reprocessed. The defendant testified by videotaped deposition.
"Outcome: After a two-day trial, jurors deliberated two hours before returning a verdict of $1,034,000."
My point is that Minister Tufton needs to protect Jamaicans who are genuinely involved in the fishing industry. At the same time there should be no hesitation in waving a red flag at those who have a record of breaching guidelines in other jurisdictions, once we have proof in this regard.
observemark@gmail.com
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