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Allegations against Robertson - Cause for concern or mischief?
Mark Wignall
Thursday, November 18, 2010
In Ian Johnson's pre-asylum statement written in his own handwriting and submitted to the US Embassy and Kingfish on November 5, 2010, my name is mentioned in a small section: "All that I have reported to the police is well known by James, I know this because the more I talk the more his resentment shows. I have tried discreetly to have my story publish (sic) but no journalist is willing to do so. The only one who had shown some willingness was Mark Wignall of the Observer after being contacted by a friend, but was wisely rejected by me on remembering that James once told me how close they were."
I have searched my inbox for "Ian Johnson", but he did say that it was through "a friend" that the initial contact was made. The allegations made by Johnson, a self-confessed JLP activist (then), against Mining and Energy Minister James Robertson are having many in the PNP and significant numbers of political fence sitters who would like to see the back of the Golding administration salivating at the thought that going into the JLP's annual conference this weekend, it will be all doom and gloom.
A Washington DC-based Jamaican attorney-at-law e-mailed me the following: "Good Morning to your family and you. How are you? I am reading with interest the situation regarding Minister Robertson and the allegations against him. Without making a comment on the allegations, I note that my colleague Mr Rowe, in a telephone deposition obtained 'information' from Mr Johnson regarding Mr Robertson and gunmen and contract killings. Mr Rowe, however, was representing another individual regarding legal action as to Olint, yet somehow Mr Robertson's name came up.
"Again, without commenting specifically, I am not surprised by what was alleged. But I think Mr Rowe has another agenda, in my humble opinion. Another exciting day in Jamaican politics."
I was sent the entire document from last Thursday, the very day I am required to submit my Sunday column. Although I had read every word of this "thriller" before the end of the day, I was torn in moving between three modes of thought. One, James Robertson had to be unstable, intent on ordering the killing of everything which moved. Two, Ian Johnson was unstable, intent on doing the most harm to Robertson and the JLP. Three, it would be a most convoluted trip in arriving at that most desired objective - the truth.
Whatever may arise from the investigations, the fact is the person making the allegations, Mr Johnson, had lost his mother in questionable circumstances and for that there can be no rejoicing. It also struck me as odd that Mr Johnson did not at any time in his statement admit to his prior involvement in any acts of criminality, yet he alleged that he was approached by Robertson in a car mart and asked to kill someone. Were I so disposed to want another human being killed, would I approach my friendly supermarket operator? Certainly not. I would head for a dingy little lane where those contracts are struck on a daily basis.
I first met James Robertson in 2001 at a time when Tivoli Gardens was then in one of its biggest "wars" against the security forces. Gunmen inside the JLP enclave were holding off policemen and soldiers on the periphery. I had just arrived by the road on Industrial Terrace nearest to Marcus Garvey Drive. Like most politicians, Robertson is overcharged on ego and on that day the second part of his personality - his fearlessness - tripped in. While we were driving out to view dead bodies on Spanish Town Road, the van was shot up by, I assume, the security forces and for the first time in my life, I knew real fear. Driving blind - and fast - along Spanish Town Road, over roadblocks in an effort to elude gunfire is not something I will want to replicate anytime soon.
Since that time, I have even grown to ignore his cockiness, especially because he tends to get things done. In all of that, of course, there were always people sending me warning signals.
Years ago someone told me never to meet with Danhai Williams. I met him and had lunch. Twice, and on one occasion at Devon House police personnel incognito snapped pictures of us. Others told me to stay away from Kenneth "Skengdon" Black. I met him, had lunch with him and found him to be a most charming host. When I was introduced to Dudus in 1999, I had no idea who he was as the person who introduced us called him, "the President". Tell me something bad about someone in the public eye and I will want to see what makes that person ticks.
I share the view of yesterday's Observer editorial that no foot dragging should be entertained in the investigations of these serious allegations.
What about Don Crawford?
It is said that "puss and dawg" rarely have the same luck. At the beginning of this month former Eagle Financial network boss Paul Chen Young was successful in having the Court of Appeal reinstate a provision that Finsac cover his legal and living expenses pending the outcome of a $1.2 billion lawsuit against him.
I asked myself, what about Don Crawford, head of the now defunct Century National Bank? It has always been my contention that a wrong signal was sent to would-be, homegrown entrepreneurs, especially those who do not fit readily into the "high-brown" class when that entire class was decimated in the mid-1990s.
In writing many columns in support of those FINsacked, especially Don Crawford, I decided at some stage to lend more tangible support on behalf of Crawford. As an extension of this I have privately lobbied various government ministers, a few of whom were close acquaintances of mine while they were in Opposition.
I have had promises made and much to my embarrassment, I have gleefully e-mailed these promises to the gentleman. The main concerns were not so much his state of penury, but the illness of his aged mother and ex-wife. All I have received so far are promises which have turned out to be as empty as an echo chamber. All that was being sought were funds to cover a small portion of these serious illnesses.
But it goes beyond the public sector. As far as I am aware, there has been no official lifting of the arrest warrant for him in Jamaica and it seems, some "big" people in the private sector have been taking advantage of it, thus making his life much worse. In one property that I know of which falls outside of the FINsacked ones, a tenant, who is the financial controller for a
well-known manufacturing and distribution company, has utilised that opportunity to escape paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for rent. And yet she struts proudly and considers herself a paragon of virtue.
Corruption exists at all levels in this society. It is legion in government. In private lives it is well hidden. Not for long, though.
observemark@gmail.com
Mark Wignall
Thursday, November 18, 2010
In Ian Johnson's pre-asylum statement written in his own handwriting and submitted to the US Embassy and Kingfish on November 5, 2010, my name is mentioned in a small section: "All that I have reported to the police is well known by James, I know this because the more I talk the more his resentment shows. I have tried discreetly to have my story publish (sic) but no journalist is willing to do so. The only one who had shown some willingness was Mark Wignall of the Observer after being contacted by a friend, but was wisely rejected by me on remembering that James once told me how close they were."
I have searched my inbox for "Ian Johnson", but he did say that it was through "a friend" that the initial contact was made. The allegations made by Johnson, a self-confessed JLP activist (then), against Mining and Energy Minister James Robertson are having many in the PNP and significant numbers of political fence sitters who would like to see the back of the Golding administration salivating at the thought that going into the JLP's annual conference this weekend, it will be all doom and gloom.
A Washington DC-based Jamaican attorney-at-law e-mailed me the following: "Good Morning to your family and you. How are you? I am reading with interest the situation regarding Minister Robertson and the allegations against him. Without making a comment on the allegations, I note that my colleague Mr Rowe, in a telephone deposition obtained 'information' from Mr Johnson regarding Mr Robertson and gunmen and contract killings. Mr Rowe, however, was representing another individual regarding legal action as to Olint, yet somehow Mr Robertson's name came up.
"Again, without commenting specifically, I am not surprised by what was alleged. But I think Mr Rowe has another agenda, in my humble opinion. Another exciting day in Jamaican politics."
I was sent the entire document from last Thursday, the very day I am required to submit my Sunday column. Although I had read every word of this "thriller" before the end of the day, I was torn in moving between three modes of thought. One, James Robertson had to be unstable, intent on ordering the killing of everything which moved. Two, Ian Johnson was unstable, intent on doing the most harm to Robertson and the JLP. Three, it would be a most convoluted trip in arriving at that most desired objective - the truth.
Whatever may arise from the investigations, the fact is the person making the allegations, Mr Johnson, had lost his mother in questionable circumstances and for that there can be no rejoicing. It also struck me as odd that Mr Johnson did not at any time in his statement admit to his prior involvement in any acts of criminality, yet he alleged that he was approached by Robertson in a car mart and asked to kill someone. Were I so disposed to want another human being killed, would I approach my friendly supermarket operator? Certainly not. I would head for a dingy little lane where those contracts are struck on a daily basis.
I first met James Robertson in 2001 at a time when Tivoli Gardens was then in one of its biggest "wars" against the security forces. Gunmen inside the JLP enclave were holding off policemen and soldiers on the periphery. I had just arrived by the road on Industrial Terrace nearest to Marcus Garvey Drive. Like most politicians, Robertson is overcharged on ego and on that day the second part of his personality - his fearlessness - tripped in. While we were driving out to view dead bodies on Spanish Town Road, the van was shot up by, I assume, the security forces and for the first time in my life, I knew real fear. Driving blind - and fast - along Spanish Town Road, over roadblocks in an effort to elude gunfire is not something I will want to replicate anytime soon.
Since that time, I have even grown to ignore his cockiness, especially because he tends to get things done. In all of that, of course, there were always people sending me warning signals.
Years ago someone told me never to meet with Danhai Williams. I met him and had lunch. Twice, and on one occasion at Devon House police personnel incognito snapped pictures of us. Others told me to stay away from Kenneth "Skengdon" Black. I met him, had lunch with him and found him to be a most charming host. When I was introduced to Dudus in 1999, I had no idea who he was as the person who introduced us called him, "the President". Tell me something bad about someone in the public eye and I will want to see what makes that person ticks.
I share the view of yesterday's Observer editorial that no foot dragging should be entertained in the investigations of these serious allegations.
What about Don Crawford?
It is said that "puss and dawg" rarely have the same luck. At the beginning of this month former Eagle Financial network boss Paul Chen Young was successful in having the Court of Appeal reinstate a provision that Finsac cover his legal and living expenses pending the outcome of a $1.2 billion lawsuit against him.
I asked myself, what about Don Crawford, head of the now defunct Century National Bank? It has always been my contention that a wrong signal was sent to would-be, homegrown entrepreneurs, especially those who do not fit readily into the "high-brown" class when that entire class was decimated in the mid-1990s.
In writing many columns in support of those FINsacked, especially Don Crawford, I decided at some stage to lend more tangible support on behalf of Crawford. As an extension of this I have privately lobbied various government ministers, a few of whom were close acquaintances of mine while they were in Opposition.
I have had promises made and much to my embarrassment, I have gleefully e-mailed these promises to the gentleman. The main concerns were not so much his state of penury, but the illness of his aged mother and ex-wife. All I have received so far are promises which have turned out to be as empty as an echo chamber. All that was being sought were funds to cover a small portion of these serious illnesses.
But it goes beyond the public sector. As far as I am aware, there has been no official lifting of the arrest warrant for him in Jamaica and it seems, some "big" people in the private sector have been taking advantage of it, thus making his life much worse. In one property that I know of which falls outside of the FINsacked ones, a tenant, who is the financial controller for a
well-known manufacturing and distribution company, has utilised that opportunity to escape paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for rent. And yet she struts proudly and considers herself a paragon of virtue.
Corruption exists at all levels in this society. It is legion in government. In private lives it is well hidden. Not for long, though.
observemark@gmail.com
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