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Published: Tuesday | May 18, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Prime Minister Bruce Golding. - File
Dr Hume Johnson
Dr Carolyn Gomes
Claude Clarke
Michael Williams
Anne Shirley
1 2 3 4 5 6 >
The government has decided to send the extradition request for west Kingston strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke to the courts as Prime Minister Bruce Golding struggles to get back into the good graces of Jamaicans.
Under pressure from a wide cross section of the society, Golding last night faced the country with an apology over the Manatt affair and a promised that the justice minister, Dorothy Lightbourne, would sign the extradition request despite claims by his administration that the United States breached the rules of engagement.
Golding pleaded with his critics to back off on the calls for his resignation as he accepted that he had done wrong.
"I am aware that trust can only be restored by forgiveness and atonement. That will take time, and I am committing myself to do everything that is humanly possible to repair the damage that has been done to that trust. In return, I ask for your forgiveness."
"In hindsight, the party should never have become involved in the way that it did and I should never have allowed it, but I must accept responsibility for it and express my remorse to the nation," Golding said in his national broadcast.
"I crave your understanding. The Government has never refused ... never refused ... the request for the extradition of Christopher Coke. It has simply asked the US authorities to provide additional information that would enable the minister to issue the authorisation in compliance with the terms of the treaty.
"In the controversy that has ensued, we sought the opinion of one of Jamaica's most eminent lawyers, Dr Lloyd Barnett, who advised that the issues involved were not sufficiently settled in law and, therefore, the attorney general should seek a declaration from the court before exercising her authority," added Golding.
The prime minister repeated the Government's claim that it was not trying to protect the Tivoli Gardens 'President' who is wanted to answer charges of drug dealing and gunrunning in the United States.
But Golding argued that the issue provided a particular dilemma.
"I wrestled with the potential conflict between the issues of non-compliance with the terms of the treaty and the unavoidable perception that because Coke is associated with my constituency, the Government's position was politically contrived.
"I felt that the concepts of fairness and justice should not be sacrificed in order to avoid that perception. In the final analysis, however, that must be weighed against the public mistrust that this matter has evoked and the destabilising effect it is having on the nation's business."
Golding repeated his claim that he authorised the decision of the Jamaica Labour Party to contract the services of US law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips but he argued that his instructions were not followed.
"Having sanctioned it, I cannot escape responsibility for it or the developments that have ensued, although I was not myself involved in those activities," said a pensive Golding.
The prime minister was penitent as he admitted that the changing stories from his administration were enough to spark distrust and erode his credibility.
Golding said he should not have been surprised that several persons and organisations have raised the question of trust in relation to the way in which the Manatt matter was handled. "I had raised the bar as to what they should expect of me and what has transpired has fallen short of their expectations," he said.
As they see it:
Michael Williams, general secretary of the National Democratic Movement
One word - platitudes! He told us all the things that we knew he should have been doing and saying from the day he has been inaugurated. I am not impressed. There is much left to be desired from the speech.
Anne Shirley
The prime minister hit all the right buttons in the first couple of paragraphs of his presentation. My problem was the second section. While the apology can be accepted, there should be some demonstrable changes in his manifesto instead of continuously referring to his manifesto. I don't think the proposals he enunciated are enough. It is like a slap on the wrist and moving forward.
Claude Clarke, public commentator and former parliamentarian
I think the apology is for Golding's benefit because it gives him time and breathing space and wiggle room. The resignation would have been beneficial to the country and his party because it would help to give his party a new lease on life and give the opportunity to reinvest its faith in a new leader. (But) ... if the extradition of Mr Coke was such a simple decision to make as he has just made, then why has he put the country through the pain, the agony and the excessive cost and loss of international reputation?
Dr Carolyn Gomes
It was a good mea culpa (my fault). There are still some questions that need answering. I am still a little disappointed that the prime minister did not take the opportunity to lead by example of accountability and probity and resign. We can seize the opportunity to try and make these nice words turn into actions; if they do, they are good actions.
Dr Hume Johnson
The severity of the damage that the JLP has done to itself and Prime Minister Golding has called upon his reputation and image as well as that of the country in the international media, a deep and genuine apology was appropriate. It came and it appeared contrite, but it was not sufficient. The apology should have been the precursor to his resignation.
Published: Tuesday | May 18, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Prime Minister Bruce Golding. - File
Dr Hume Johnson
Dr Carolyn Gomes
Claude Clarke
Michael Williams
Anne Shirley
1 2 3 4 5 6 >
The government has decided to send the extradition request for west Kingston strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke to the courts as Prime Minister Bruce Golding struggles to get back into the good graces of Jamaicans.
Under pressure from a wide cross section of the society, Golding last night faced the country with an apology over the Manatt affair and a promised that the justice minister, Dorothy Lightbourne, would sign the extradition request despite claims by his administration that the United States breached the rules of engagement.
Golding pleaded with his critics to back off on the calls for his resignation as he accepted that he had done wrong.
"I am aware that trust can only be restored by forgiveness and atonement. That will take time, and I am committing myself to do everything that is humanly possible to repair the damage that has been done to that trust. In return, I ask for your forgiveness."
"In hindsight, the party should never have become involved in the way that it did and I should never have allowed it, but I must accept responsibility for it and express my remorse to the nation," Golding said in his national broadcast.
"I crave your understanding. The Government has never refused ... never refused ... the request for the extradition of Christopher Coke. It has simply asked the US authorities to provide additional information that would enable the minister to issue the authorisation in compliance with the terms of the treaty.
"In the controversy that has ensued, we sought the opinion of one of Jamaica's most eminent lawyers, Dr Lloyd Barnett, who advised that the issues involved were not sufficiently settled in law and, therefore, the attorney general should seek a declaration from the court before exercising her authority," added Golding.
The prime minister repeated the Government's claim that it was not trying to protect the Tivoli Gardens 'President' who is wanted to answer charges of drug dealing and gunrunning in the United States.
But Golding argued that the issue provided a particular dilemma.
"I wrestled with the potential conflict between the issues of non-compliance with the terms of the treaty and the unavoidable perception that because Coke is associated with my constituency, the Government's position was politically contrived.
"I felt that the concepts of fairness and justice should not be sacrificed in order to avoid that perception. In the final analysis, however, that must be weighed against the public mistrust that this matter has evoked and the destabilising effect it is having on the nation's business."
Golding repeated his claim that he authorised the decision of the Jamaica Labour Party to contract the services of US law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips but he argued that his instructions were not followed.
"Having sanctioned it, I cannot escape responsibility for it or the developments that have ensued, although I was not myself involved in those activities," said a pensive Golding.
The prime minister was penitent as he admitted that the changing stories from his administration were enough to spark distrust and erode his credibility.
Golding said he should not have been surprised that several persons and organisations have raised the question of trust in relation to the way in which the Manatt matter was handled. "I had raised the bar as to what they should expect of me and what has transpired has fallen short of their expectations," he said.
As they see it:
Michael Williams, general secretary of the National Democratic Movement
One word - platitudes! He told us all the things that we knew he should have been doing and saying from the day he has been inaugurated. I am not impressed. There is much left to be desired from the speech.
Anne Shirley
The prime minister hit all the right buttons in the first couple of paragraphs of his presentation. My problem was the second section. While the apology can be accepted, there should be some demonstrable changes in his manifesto instead of continuously referring to his manifesto. I don't think the proposals he enunciated are enough. It is like a slap on the wrist and moving forward.
Claude Clarke, public commentator and former parliamentarian
I think the apology is for Golding's benefit because it gives him time and breathing space and wiggle room. The resignation would have been beneficial to the country and his party because it would help to give his party a new lease on life and give the opportunity to reinvest its faith in a new leader. (But) ... if the extradition of Mr Coke was such a simple decision to make as he has just made, then why has he put the country through the pain, the agony and the excessive cost and loss of international reputation?
Dr Carolyn Gomes
It was a good mea culpa (my fault). There are still some questions that need answering. I am still a little disappointed that the prime minister did not take the opportunity to lead by example of accountability and probity and resign. We can seize the opportunity to try and make these nice words turn into actions; if they do, they are good actions.
Dr Hume Johnson
The severity of the damage that the JLP has done to itself and Prime Minister Golding has called upon his reputation and image as well as that of the country in the international media, a deep and genuine apology was appropriate. It came and it appeared contrite, but it was not sufficient. The apology should have been the precursor to his resignation.
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