PM to explain Manatt issue in islandwide meetings

[Mosiah]

PM to explain Manatt issue in islandwide meetings
BY PATRICK FOSTER Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, August 26, 2010


PRIME Minister Bruce Golding will be having meetings across the island to explain Government's role in the controversial Manatt, Phelps and Phillips issue, in an apparent public relations campaign to win back support.
The minister responsible for information, Daryl Vaz who made the announcement at yesterday's post-Cabinet press conference at Jamaica House, admitted that the approach to the Manatt issue was ill-conceived and handled poorly.
GOLDING… to hold meetings with various groups islandwide
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But while admitting that mistakes were made in the handling of the Manatt issue, he reiterated that Government had no contract with the United States law firm.
"At no time did the Government of Jamaica enter into any contractual or consultant arrangement with Harold Brady and Company Limited or Manatt, Phelps & Phillips," Vaz told journalists.
He was responding to recent media revelations regarding e-mail correspondence between government officials, members of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the US legal firm, over an extended period.
He alleged that there was misrepresentation as it related to persons acting on behalf of Government and that the matter was being dealt with by the JLP's disciplinary committee.
He added that the party (JLP) has already accepted responsibility for payments to Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and suggested that information on Government's activities can be verified through the Access to Information Act as "nothing to do with government can be hidden".
Said Vaz: "There is nothing illegal or criminal in relation to the hiring of a lobby group, whether by the party or by the Government. What has happened is that the thing was ill-conceived, it was a mistake coupled with misrepresentation and it has been a complete, total mess-up from day one... I don't think anybody would say otherwise.
The islandwide meetings, he said, will be convened with NGOs, the business community and civic society to address the concerns and questions regarding the Manatt issue.
"While politics is a big part of it there are major concerns, and I think it is important over the next few weeks that the prime minister address these groupings," said Vaz.

[Mosiah]

whatever happened to the importance of attending to the nation's business?

this is nothing more than election campaigning.

Bruce, you lied to the nation. Come clean to the nation, not your few supporters who will turn up for a t-shirt and and a cup of mannish water.

utter disgrace!

[Mosiah]

Omar Kenyata
8/26/2010
These guys do not have a clue how angry sensible people are with their lies !!!!!! Islandwide meetings with whom ? More of their hardcore ? PM you need to resign along with AG and SG., Samuda; Baugh Holness. Problem is that will bring down your govt and I DO NOT WANT that but at least you must set an example a beg yu step aside !!! AG and SG must follow.
Nicolas Henry
8/26/2010
Mr Golding, You might not have done nothing illegal, but your attempt to deceive the JA people isn't sitting well with me. At this point I think you let us down & you r a disgrace. The only reason why I'm not calling for your immediate resignation, is to not create a distraction from our current war on terrorist marauding gunmen. We need honesty & integrity from our leaders. I suggest to u, don't even think of running in the next election. Neither you r the PNP leadership is fit to be in charge.
Horace McDonald
8/26/2010
I don’t think anyone can trust what Mr Golding as to say. So going around Jamaica to have meeting is just for party support who still follow the leader and still they die, but no well thing Jamaican can trust Mr Golding again.
Duncan Bertram
8/26/2010
No one will believe a word from Bruce Golding. I support the meetings, it will give people a chance to cuss the daylight out of him. They lied in parliament, they lied out of parliament, now they want to look in the peoples face and lie. Dem lie, dem lie dem lie dem lie bad
george watson
8/26/2010
So instead of dealing with the nation's business the pm will be traipsing all over the country trying to repair damaged and flawed goods. What the pm needs to know is that he will be preaching to the choir since Jamaica has sized him up for who and what he is. Does he think he can fool us with the party line?
Another cost to taxpayers who will pay for him, his security detail and a host of ministers and helicopters moving back and forth.
Why do the media allow him to get away with this?
Everton Walker
8/26/2010
Everytime a little more documentation is presented, the government acknowledges a little more. What next?
What kind of untrustworthy bunch are we working with? I voted for this present government but they have to go. They are an embarrassment and disappointment, they just got to go.
Everton Walker
8/26/2010
Who will be paying for those trips? Hope not the tax payers. Just provide full disclosure of documentation. We cannot trust anything that will come from between his your two ears. Bill Clinton is more credible. Your words cannot be trusted Mr. PM. You need to go.
Jay Brown
8/26/2010
Why is Golding going to have islandwide meeting, to clarify what, to explain what?
Golding is the best leader for Jamaica and the party right now.
Think about it, the party contains a bunch of conniving persons who are very economical on the truth, so they deserve a leader with the same attributes.
Jamaica on the other hand is one of the most corrupt countries on the plant, don't Jamaica therefor deserve a leader with complimentary qualities?
Makes me wanna puke . They are destroying Jamaica
Nancy Ndola
8/26/2010
I really and TRUTHFULLY do not want to hear any thing Golding has to say, UNLESS its to tell the nation, that the Government sanctioned 'dudusgate'
Its been too many lies, cover-up and nothing he and his cronies have to say will smooth the hurt, tumult, despair, grief that all Jamaican across the world have felt this year. It has affected our economy, communities, psychological health and tourism of our country.
Sweet words will not cut it. RESIGN GOLDING you are just a snake in the grass.
Dwight Barnes
8/26/2010
I have to laugh at these puppets who continue to insult our intelligence. I have a question where will the funds come from to stage these meetings? It appears to me that the PM is gearing up for an election so he is using these so called "islandwide meetings" to crank up his party's machinery. I wonder if the PM will now have the guts to SPEAK THE TRUTH. He has not being doing this lately. In what capacity will he speak at these meetings, PM or party leader? Golding lacks credibility.

[Lazie]

whatever happened to the importance of attending to the nation's business?

this is nothing more than election campaigning.

Bruce, you lied to the nation. Come clean to the nation, not your few supporters who will turn up for a t-shirt and and a cup of mannish water.

utter disgrace!

For months you've been accussing the PM of lying, yet you nor any of yuh fellow accusers can point out where he lied.

[Mosiah]

Prove it to us that this was a JLP affair and not govt?

[Lazie]

Prove it to us that this was a JLP affair and not govt?

Do you smoke weed in the mornings? All the ATI documents requested by the gleaner, yet there was nothing to prove it was the gov't. Give it up, you jokers been barking up the wrong tree.

[Mosiah]

There is nothing to prove it was the JLP! All the discussions involved GOVT OFFICIALS - the AG, the SG and the PM!

Plus there is the subtle problem where Manatt has reiterated that it was working for the govt.

I guess Peter Phillips must be the Phillips part of MPP.

[Lazie]

There is nothing to prove it was the JLP! All the discussions involved GOVT OFFICIALS - the AG, the SG and the PM!

Plus there is the subtle problem where Manatt has reiterated that it was working for the govt.

I guess Peter Phillips must be the Phillips part of MPP.

There you go twisting the truth again. Where did you see the PM or AG in any of the discussions? Everyday all unuh duh is twist the truth to fit unuh perception.

[Mosiah]

There you go twisting the truth again. Where did you see the PM or AG in any of the discussions? Everyday all unuh duh is twist the truth to fit unuh perception.

yuh not even know how dumb and brucegoldious yuh sound.

shameless!

[Lazie]

yuh not even know how dumb and brucegoldious yuh sound.

shameless!

Oh yes, the normal behavior whenever yuh nuh get your way. It is obvious that if any of you idiots had anything to support unuh ridiculous stance it would have been presented. Give it up comrade. Yes they handled the matter in a sloppy manner but y'all making a fuss about nothing.

[Don1]

yuh not even know how dumb and brucegoldious yuh sound.

shameless!

I think he does know... but he embraces the dumb/lying model.

[Baddaz]

yuh really nuh have nuh sense... yuh tek fool fool tuh a lower level...

[Lazie]

yuh really nuh have nuh sense... yuh tek fool fool tuh a lower level...

Some of us deal with fact Baddaz ... time unuh stop trying to put a square peg into a round hole.

[Baddaz]

and it is clear that you choose to deal with fiction, fabrication and obfuscation... for the life of me, despite all the revelations you just cannot come around to acknowledge that the prime minister lied to the country... i will not even go into all details... they have been out there for all the world to see... well, except you... its all good still, lazie...

[Sir X]

I am not as fool , fool as lazie , maybe I am a fool , he lied but seriously the alternative doesnt sit well with me .

While Golding/JLP looks you in you eyes and lies in our face, The PNP looks in your eyes and lies when you turn your back.

Swap kettle fi pot ......What the hell has the PNP put on the table as an alternative to good governance, I mean throwing stones from a glass house doesnt make much sense to me.

Golding should stay in power loose all face and respect as a leader , let the people vote him out and the nation put the PNP on notice its not business as usual.

Jamaica needs it.