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Published: Tuesday | February 15, 2011
Dr Ronald Robinson
Dr Ronald Robinson
Dr Ronald Robinson
Dr Ronald Robinson
Dr Ronald Robinson
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Robinson says PM told him to meet Manatt officials Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer
The insistence of the Bruce Golding administration that it was the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and not the Government that hired United States law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips has taken another battering at the ongoing commission of enquiry into the handling of the extradition request for accused drug kingpin Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.
Former junior foreign affairs and foreign trade minister, Dr Ronald Robinson, painting a picture of Golding being integrally involved in the firm's engagement, told the commission that the prime minister instructed him to meet with Manatt representatives in Washington, DC.
"I went to the meeting, as instructed, to lend credence and support to the position of Mr Brady in the matter," Robinson testified under examination by one of his attorneys, Kathryn Phipps.
"My understanding is that I was there on behalf of the people of Jamaica," he added.
In a statement to Parliament last year, Golding admitted sanctioning the hiring of Manatt in his capacity as leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), but said he gave specific instructions that it should remain a party matter.
The prime minister also told Parliament then that Robinson, while on a private visit to Washington, was invited to a meeting at the US State Department, but declined the invitation.
However, under cross-examination by Queen's Counsel K.D. Knight, who is representing the People's National Party (PNP), Robinson agreed that there were several "glaring" omissions from Golding's statement.
Questioned by Knight on whether he also agreed that Golding had failed to inform Parliament that he had instructed him to go to Washington, Robinson replied: "Yes, sir."
During a post-enquiry press conference, Knight said Robinson's testimony raised the possibility that Golding had "failed to come clean to the Parliament of the land".
"He deliberately left out that Dr Robinson directly went to speak to the Manatt representatives, but he (Golding) made it appear that he (Dr Robinson) was on a private trip," Knight told journalists.
Detailing Golding's involvement, Robinson said shortly after he became aware of the US extradition request for Coke, he was invited to "a meeting of ministers and officers of the JLP" at the prime minister's official residence at Vale Royal in St Andrew.
He said the meeting, which was attended by Information Minister Daryl Vaz, centred around the "difficulty" facing the Government in signing the extradition request.
"It (the administration's concerns) had to do with some breaches in the (extradition) treaty, and the prime minister lamented the difficulty he had with the request," Robinson testified.
The former junior minister said he met with Golding for a second time in September 2009 to suggest that the Government seek the assistance of the New York law firm, Giuliani Partners, headed by former New York City mayor, Rudolph Giuliani.
He said during the meeting, which was also attended by local attorney Harold Brady, it was agreed that he would reach out to his contacts at Giuliani Partners, while Brady was dispatched to Washington to initiate discussions with his contacts.
He said Brady flew to New York to meet with representatives of Manatt as was suggested by his contact in Washington.
Robinson added that Brady told him the meeting went well and that Manatt "could better help them".
He said that during a subsequent meeting with Golding, Vaz, and Brady on November 18, 2009, he was told that a meeting had been arranged by Manatt at the US State Department and Brady would attend the meeting to explain Jamaica's position.
Robinson said he was then instructed by Golding to go to Washington to meet with representatives of Manatt.
"'I will inform Ken (Baugh, the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade) of your travels'," Robinson said Golding told him then.
He said he travelled with Brady to Washington and was introduced to the principals of the US law firm, but declined to attend the meeting at the State Department.
Robinson said Brady informed him that the meeting went well and that US officials had a better understanding of Jamaica's concerns.
He said on their return, he and Brady went directly from the airport to Vale Royal to brief Golding, who congratulated them both.
Cross-examination of Robinson is expected to continue today as former JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda has been asked to verify the authenticity of a document, purportedly authored by him, and which is the subject of further questions to be posed by Knight.
livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com
Dr Ronald Robinson
Dr Ronald Robinson
Dr Ronald Robinson
Dr Ronald Robinson
Dr Ronald Robinson
1 2 3 4 5 >
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Robinson says PM told him to meet Manatt officials Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer
The insistence of the Bruce Golding administration that it was the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and not the Government that hired United States law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips has taken another battering at the ongoing commission of enquiry into the handling of the extradition request for accused drug kingpin Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.
Former junior foreign affairs and foreign trade minister, Dr Ronald Robinson, painting a picture of Golding being integrally involved in the firm's engagement, told the commission that the prime minister instructed him to meet with Manatt representatives in Washington, DC.
"I went to the meeting, as instructed, to lend credence and support to the position of Mr Brady in the matter," Robinson testified under examination by one of his attorneys, Kathryn Phipps.
"My understanding is that I was there on behalf of the people of Jamaica," he added.
In a statement to Parliament last year, Golding admitted sanctioning the hiring of Manatt in his capacity as leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), but said he gave specific instructions that it should remain a party matter.
The prime minister also told Parliament then that Robinson, while on a private visit to Washington, was invited to a meeting at the US State Department, but declined the invitation.
However, under cross-examination by Queen's Counsel K.D. Knight, who is representing the People's National Party (PNP), Robinson agreed that there were several "glaring" omissions from Golding's statement.
Questioned by Knight on whether he also agreed that Golding had failed to inform Parliament that he had instructed him to go to Washington, Robinson replied: "Yes, sir."
During a post-enquiry press conference, Knight said Robinson's testimony raised the possibility that Golding had "failed to come clean to the Parliament of the land".
"He deliberately left out that Dr Robinson directly went to speak to the Manatt representatives, but he (Golding) made it appear that he (Dr Robinson) was on a private trip," Knight told journalists.
Detailing Golding's involvement, Robinson said shortly after he became aware of the US extradition request for Coke, he was invited to "a meeting of ministers and officers of the JLP" at the prime minister's official residence at Vale Royal in St Andrew.
He said the meeting, which was attended by Information Minister Daryl Vaz, centred around the "difficulty" facing the Government in signing the extradition request.
"It (the administration's concerns) had to do with some breaches in the (extradition) treaty, and the prime minister lamented the difficulty he had with the request," Robinson testified.
The former junior minister said he met with Golding for a second time in September 2009 to suggest that the Government seek the assistance of the New York law firm, Giuliani Partners, headed by former New York City mayor, Rudolph Giuliani.
He said during the meeting, which was also attended by local attorney Harold Brady, it was agreed that he would reach out to his contacts at Giuliani Partners, while Brady was dispatched to Washington to initiate discussions with his contacts.
He said Brady flew to New York to meet with representatives of Manatt as was suggested by his contact in Washington.
Robinson added that Brady told him the meeting went well and that Manatt "could better help them".
He said that during a subsequent meeting with Golding, Vaz, and Brady on November 18, 2009, he was told that a meeting had been arranged by Manatt at the US State Department and Brady would attend the meeting to explain Jamaica's position.
Robinson said he was then instructed by Golding to go to Washington to meet with representatives of Manatt.
"'I will inform Ken (Baugh, the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade) of your travels'," Robinson said Golding told him then.
He said he travelled with Brady to Washington and was introduced to the principals of the US law firm, but declined to attend the meeting at the State Department.
Robinson said Brady informed him that the meeting went well and that US officials had a better understanding of Jamaica's concerns.
He said on their return, he and Brady went directly from the airport to Vale Royal to brief Golding, who congratulated them both.
Cross-examination of Robinson is expected to continue today as former JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda has been asked to verify the authenticity of a document, purportedly authored by him, and which is the subject of further questions to be posed by Knight.
livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com
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