Tweet
Samuda contradicts Golding on Brady
Confirms that lawyer still member of JLP
Jamaica Observer
Thursday, September 16, 2010
GENERAL Secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Karl Samuda, says that contrary to remarks by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Harold Brady, the lawyer involved in the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips scandal, remains a member of the party.
Talking to journalists outside JLP's Belmont Road headquarters following an emergency party meeting about 1:00 this morning, Samuda said although Brady had not paid his membership fees as Golding stated, this did not prevent the lawyer from remaining a party member.
Samuda said that the prime minister was unaware of this fact when he made his announcement.
"Mr Brady was asked to resign from all Government boards (and) Mr Brady is no longer a member of the party," Golding said on Monday.
In response Brady maintained that he is still a member of the JLP.
Golding also repeated an allegation that Brady misled Manatt — the United States law firm — into believing that he was retaining its services on behalf of the Jamaican Government instead of the JLP, to lobby US authorities in the extradition case of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, who the Americans have accused of trafficking in drugs and arms.
Meanwhile, in a statement this afternoon, Samuda sought to further explain the controversy, explaining that the matter has been referred to a special committee of the party for consideration.
“This matter, having become a controversial issue, the mandate of the committee is to review the status of Mr Brady’s membership and to consider whether his actions in the handling of the Manatt issue require his referral to the disciplinary committee of the party,” Samuda said.
“On the issue of Mr Brady’s membership on statutory boards, the standing committee was advised that at the time of the prime minister’s instruction, that Mr Brady [would] be removed from all statutory boards.”
He said Brady was only a member of the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) and the standing committee was further advised by Minister Mike Henry, under whose portfolio the JRC falls, that he was indeed sent a letter by the prime minister requiring him to revoke Brady’s appointment as a member of the JRC board, but had not done so in anticipation of Brady’s resignation on other grounds.
“That resignation was in fact submitted by Mr Brady," Samuda said.
JLP calls officers to emergency meetings
Thursday, September 16, 2010
OFFICERS of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party were summoned to emergency meetings yesterday, a day after party leader and prime minister, Bruce Golding, made controversial statements regarding the membership of attorney Harold Brady, who has been blamed for the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair.
Party officials did not say last night what was the outcome of the meetings, but sources said contradictions by Brady about his status in the party, following Golding's announcement that he was no longer a member, as well as the disclosure that the attorney was asked to resign from all Government boards were at the centre of the discussions.
Brady told the Observer on Tuesday night that he was still a member of the party, dismissing the prime minister claim at a press briefing at Jamaica House earlier in the day.
Brady, who the party said had made contacts with Manatt to lobby the Obama administration on treaty matters shortly after the US Government indicted and requested the extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, has been blamed for the fall-out over the affairs.
Confirms that lawyer still member of JLP
Jamaica Observer
Thursday, September 16, 2010
GENERAL Secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Karl Samuda, says that contrary to remarks by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Harold Brady, the lawyer involved in the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips scandal, remains a member of the party.
Talking to journalists outside JLP's Belmont Road headquarters following an emergency party meeting about 1:00 this morning, Samuda said although Brady had not paid his membership fees as Golding stated, this did not prevent the lawyer from remaining a party member.
Samuda said that the prime minister was unaware of this fact when he made his announcement.
"Mr Brady was asked to resign from all Government boards (and) Mr Brady is no longer a member of the party," Golding said on Monday.
In response Brady maintained that he is still a member of the JLP.
Golding also repeated an allegation that Brady misled Manatt — the United States law firm — into believing that he was retaining its services on behalf of the Jamaican Government instead of the JLP, to lobby US authorities in the extradition case of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, who the Americans have accused of trafficking in drugs and arms.
Meanwhile, in a statement this afternoon, Samuda sought to further explain the controversy, explaining that the matter has been referred to a special committee of the party for consideration.
“This matter, having become a controversial issue, the mandate of the committee is to review the status of Mr Brady’s membership and to consider whether his actions in the handling of the Manatt issue require his referral to the disciplinary committee of the party,” Samuda said.
“On the issue of Mr Brady’s membership on statutory boards, the standing committee was advised that at the time of the prime minister’s instruction, that Mr Brady [would] be removed from all statutory boards.”
He said Brady was only a member of the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) and the standing committee was further advised by Minister Mike Henry, under whose portfolio the JRC falls, that he was indeed sent a letter by the prime minister requiring him to revoke Brady’s appointment as a member of the JRC board, but had not done so in anticipation of Brady’s resignation on other grounds.
“That resignation was in fact submitted by Mr Brady," Samuda said.
JLP calls officers to emergency meetings
Thursday, September 16, 2010
OFFICERS of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party were summoned to emergency meetings yesterday, a day after party leader and prime minister, Bruce Golding, made controversial statements regarding the membership of attorney Harold Brady, who has been blamed for the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair.
Party officials did not say last night what was the outcome of the meetings, but sources said contradictions by Brady about his status in the party, following Golding's announcement that he was no longer a member, as well as the disclosure that the attorney was asked to resign from all Government boards were at the centre of the discussions.
Brady told the Observer on Tuesday night that he was still a member of the party, dismissing the prime minister claim at a press briefing at Jamaica House earlier in the day.
Brady, who the party said had made contacts with Manatt to lobby the Obama administration on treaty matters shortly after the US Government indicted and requested the extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, has been blamed for the fall-out over the affairs.
Comment