Tweet
Solicitor General's Future In Doubt
Published: Thursday | August 26, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
Solicitor General Douglas Leys is on shaky ground as the Government continues to respond to the latest developments in the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair.
Leys was at the centre of emails involving Manatt officials and local attorney Harold Brady for more than six months, despite reporting that he had met with the United States law firm in December and told them he was not interested in their service at that time.
"The representatives of the firm were told by me in the meeting in the presence of Mr Harold Brady that we did not need their services now, but we would consider engaging the firm if the need arises," Leys told The Gleaner months ago when the issue was first raised.
But the emails show that the solicitor general was involved in lengthy discussions with officials of Manatt.
These discussions included talks on a proposed press release which would represent the position of the governments of Jamaica and the United States, even though his boss, Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne, has said she did not know about Manatt until the matter was raised in Parliament months later.
Yesterday, minister with responsibility for information, Daryl Vaz, told the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing that no discussion had yet been made on Leys' future.
"That is a decision that will have to be taken by the attorney general in dialogue with the prime minister and the Cabinet. That has not come to us yet," Vaz said in response to questions about the future of Leys.
According to Vaz, the issues surrounding the emails involving Leys and Manatt officials will be the subject of further discussions after Lightbourne returns from vacation on Sunday.
The emails show Leys in cordial discussions with Manatt officials long after he reportedly rejected a proposal from Brady to engage the firm to help settle the dispute which developed over the US request for the extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.
Next-step measures
Leys is also shown to be discussing next-step measures with the law firm which had been reportedly engaged by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
In one of the emails, an official of Manatt suggests a cover letter that Leys could send to a senior representative of the US Department of Justice concerning a proposed press release.
Another email, which was sent several days after Prime Minister Bruce Golding said a decision had been made not to issue the press release, shows Leys pointing Manatt to a headline in The Gleaner and questioning if the contemplated press release was still on.
arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com
Published: Thursday | August 26, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
Solicitor General Douglas Leys is on shaky ground as the Government continues to respond to the latest developments in the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair.
Leys was at the centre of emails involving Manatt officials and local attorney Harold Brady for more than six months, despite reporting that he had met with the United States law firm in December and told them he was not interested in their service at that time.
"The representatives of the firm were told by me in the meeting in the presence of Mr Harold Brady that we did not need their services now, but we would consider engaging the firm if the need arises," Leys told The Gleaner months ago when the issue was first raised.
But the emails show that the solicitor general was involved in lengthy discussions with officials of Manatt.
These discussions included talks on a proposed press release which would represent the position of the governments of Jamaica and the United States, even though his boss, Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne, has said she did not know about Manatt until the matter was raised in Parliament months later.
Yesterday, minister with responsibility for information, Daryl Vaz, told the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing that no discussion had yet been made on Leys' future.
"That is a decision that will have to be taken by the attorney general in dialogue with the prime minister and the Cabinet. That has not come to us yet," Vaz said in response to questions about the future of Leys.
According to Vaz, the issues surrounding the emails involving Leys and Manatt officials will be the subject of further discussions after Lightbourne returns from vacation on Sunday.
The emails show Leys in cordial discussions with Manatt officials long after he reportedly rejected a proposal from Brady to engage the firm to help settle the dispute which developed over the US request for the extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.
Next-step measures
Leys is also shown to be discussing next-step measures with the law firm which had been reportedly engaged by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
In one of the emails, an official of Manatt suggests a cover letter that Leys could send to a senior representative of the US Department of Justice concerning a proposed press release.
Another email, which was sent several days after Prime Minister Bruce Golding said a decision had been made not to issue the press release, shows Leys pointing Manatt to a headline in The Gleaner and questioning if the contemplated press release was still on.
arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com
