Tufton wants Phillips sanctioned over secret MOUs
BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
DUNCANS, Trelawny — Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton is calling on the People's National Party (PNP) to penalise former security minister Dr Peter Phillips for his signing of Memoranda of Understanding with the United States and Britain without the knowledge of his then Cabinet colleagues.
"...I believe that the PNP should sanction Peter Phillips for taking a decision that has locked this country into a position without any consultation of the government of the day at the time," Tufton declared.
Tufton, speaking on Sunday at the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Area Four Council meeting in Trelawny, told party supporters that the controversy over the Christopher 'Dudus' Coke extradition stemmed from Phillips' signing of the MOUs and that the JLP had to ensure that the rights of the Jamaican people were protected, which led to the almost nine-month delay.
"This Government (JLP), having come to office examining a procedure involving an extradition case without knowledge of MOUs that were signed years before, had to take stock and ask questions to ensure that the rights of the Jamaican people were protected," argued Tufton.
Coke was the reputed don of Tivoli Gardens, a JLP stronghold. After weeks of eluding the security forces, he was captured and extradited to the US last June after waiving his right to an extradition hearing in Jamaica.
On Sunday, Dr Tufton, — the South West St Elizabeth member of Parliament — said Prime Minister Bruce Golding should be commended and not condemned "for yielding to the request of the Jamaican people to have an enquiry" into the handling of the extradition request and the subsequent hiring of US law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to lobby the Barack Obama administration on the issue.
"Many times we called for enquiries under PNP and they don't yield to it. We had the Shell waiver scandal, we had the Trafigura incident. When questions were asked of them, no answers were given," Tufton argued.
In the meantime, the JLP used Sunday's meeting to present Donovan White as its candidate for the local government to fill a vacancy left by the passing of his father Errol 'Juppy' White in 2009.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1FRyoZikI
BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
DUNCANS, Trelawny — Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton is calling on the People's National Party (PNP) to penalise former security minister Dr Peter Phillips for his signing of Memoranda of Understanding with the United States and Britain without the knowledge of his then Cabinet colleagues.
"...I believe that the PNP should sanction Peter Phillips for taking a decision that has locked this country into a position without any consultation of the government of the day at the time," Tufton declared.
Tufton, speaking on Sunday at the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Area Four Council meeting in Trelawny, told party supporters that the controversy over the Christopher 'Dudus' Coke extradition stemmed from Phillips' signing of the MOUs and that the JLP had to ensure that the rights of the Jamaican people were protected, which led to the almost nine-month delay.
"This Government (JLP), having come to office examining a procedure involving an extradition case without knowledge of MOUs that were signed years before, had to take stock and ask questions to ensure that the rights of the Jamaican people were protected," argued Tufton.
Coke was the reputed don of Tivoli Gardens, a JLP stronghold. After weeks of eluding the security forces, he was captured and extradited to the US last June after waiving his right to an extradition hearing in Jamaica.
On Sunday, Dr Tufton, — the South West St Elizabeth member of Parliament — said Prime Minister Bruce Golding should be commended and not condemned "for yielding to the request of the Jamaican people to have an enquiry" into the handling of the extradition request and the subsequent hiring of US law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to lobby the Barack Obama administration on the issue.
"Many times we called for enquiries under PNP and they don't yield to it. We had the Shell waiver scandal, we had the Trafigura incident. When questions were asked of them, no answers were given," Tufton argued.
In the meantime, the JLP used Sunday's meeting to present Donovan White as its candidate for the local government to fill a vacancy left by the passing of his father Errol 'Juppy' White in 2009.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1FRyoZikI
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