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JLP Supporters Get Bellyful
Published: Thursday | March 3, 20110 Comments
Jamaica Labour Party supporters at the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry yesterday.
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Laura Redpath, Senior Gleaner Writer
While wit and bravado were on full display, creating many chuckle-filled moments during the square-off between K.D. Knight and Karl Samuda, the big question mark was on the mystery identity (or identities).
By the end of yesterday's sitting of the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry, after being asked about the identity (or identities) multiple times in different ways, he still had not said who prompted Brady to engage the United States law firm, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.
During the first break, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters gathered in informal group discussions.
"Samuda nah budge," a man mumbled from his perch on the wall just outside the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, where the enquiry is being held.
He was rubbing his arm feverishly.
"Mhmm," a woman responded.
By the second break, relief was all around and party supporters were ecstatic at what some said they would describe as a successful sitting.
Pleased with proceedings
Susan Senior, Area One council secretary, said she has been to every single sitting of the commission of enquiry and was pleased with the proceedings so far.
"I think this (enquiry) is a good thing because Jamaicans need the truth," she said, backed by other JLP supporters. "We need to move forward and this way we can see and understand."
It was not hard to identify who the JLP supporters were, all of whom showed up to watch Samuda take the witness stand.
Knight, dressed in an orange tie, at one point jokingly flicked his tie at a seated group of Labourites, all of whom laughed in response.
"We nuh want him tie," a woman said to the man sitting beside her.
Pockets of supporters turned up dressed in all shades of green, some with stains on their shirts, while others paired the green with other colours such as yellow.
However, there was one woman who stood in the hallway just outside the conference room.
"Me cah go in deh," the lonesome PNP supporter said, shaking her head emphatically. "Not when in deh suh so green. Ah no my colour dat!"
As Robert Pickersgill, opposition spokesman on transport and works, walked in, his face split by a grin, she said: "Yes, boss, gwaan in boss."
He had already made it to the other side of the room and she was still mumbling.
"Gwaan mash dem up, gwaan help di sheriff (Knight)," she said, her wide eyes glued to the proceedings.
Knight had just finished flipping excitedly through papers and his head was raised among a sea of lowered heads, as he waved his finger in the direction of where the commissioners sat.
Meanwhile, a mild disturbance was taking place in the hallway.
"Phone alright," a new arrival said to a policeman on guard.
"Yu wah search me, general?" the man challenged the policeman, who was ensuring that all phones were off.
"How yu say yu phone off?" the lawman asked another man. "Me nuh like liad, yu know."
Soon enough, when the hallway had cleared following the stern request made by a senior officer to keep the passage "sterile", the policeman on duty started thumbing away on his own cellphone.
Resembled Parliament sitting
Some JLP members were present, seated across from Samuda, as well as members of parliament including Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry, Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, Labour Minister Pearnel Charles and National Security Minister Dwight Nelson.
With many politicians present, the enquiry resembled a sitting of Parliament as laughter and mumbling were frequent.
At one point, Knight turned in his seat and had a staring contest with the JLP members, all of whom were sitting together. As the muscles in Knight's mouth visibly worked, the politicians burst into giggles.
For one man, the PNP's legal adviser A.J. Nicholson created a sore spot.
In response to everything Nicholson said out loud, the man would mumble something along the lines of "shut up".
"Was it Dudus?" Nicholson speculated in response to the mystery identity (-ties) of the persons who approached Harold Brady.
"Shut yu mout," the man mumbled.
"How do you know that?"
"Shut yu mout."
laura.redpath@gleanerjm.com
Published: Thursday | March 3, 20110 Comments
Jamaica Labour Party supporters at the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry yesterday.
1 2 >
Laura Redpath, Senior Gleaner Writer
While wit and bravado were on full display, creating many chuckle-filled moments during the square-off between K.D. Knight and Karl Samuda, the big question mark was on the mystery identity (or identities).
By the end of yesterday's sitting of the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry, after being asked about the identity (or identities) multiple times in different ways, he still had not said who prompted Brady to engage the United States law firm, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.
During the first break, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters gathered in informal group discussions.
"Samuda nah budge," a man mumbled from his perch on the wall just outside the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, where the enquiry is being held.
He was rubbing his arm feverishly.
"Mhmm," a woman responded.
By the second break, relief was all around and party supporters were ecstatic at what some said they would describe as a successful sitting.
Pleased with proceedings
Susan Senior, Area One council secretary, said she has been to every single sitting of the commission of enquiry and was pleased with the proceedings so far.
"I think this (enquiry) is a good thing because Jamaicans need the truth," she said, backed by other JLP supporters. "We need to move forward and this way we can see and understand."
It was not hard to identify who the JLP supporters were, all of whom showed up to watch Samuda take the witness stand.
Knight, dressed in an orange tie, at one point jokingly flicked his tie at a seated group of Labourites, all of whom laughed in response.
"We nuh want him tie," a woman said to the man sitting beside her.
Pockets of supporters turned up dressed in all shades of green, some with stains on their shirts, while others paired the green with other colours such as yellow.
However, there was one woman who stood in the hallway just outside the conference room.
"Me cah go in deh," the lonesome PNP supporter said, shaking her head emphatically. "Not when in deh suh so green. Ah no my colour dat!"
As Robert Pickersgill, opposition spokesman on transport and works, walked in, his face split by a grin, she said: "Yes, boss, gwaan in boss."
He had already made it to the other side of the room and she was still mumbling.
"Gwaan mash dem up, gwaan help di sheriff (Knight)," she said, her wide eyes glued to the proceedings.
Knight had just finished flipping excitedly through papers and his head was raised among a sea of lowered heads, as he waved his finger in the direction of where the commissioners sat.
Meanwhile, a mild disturbance was taking place in the hallway.
"Phone alright," a new arrival said to a policeman on guard.
"Yu wah search me, general?" the man challenged the policeman, who was ensuring that all phones were off.
"How yu say yu phone off?" the lawman asked another man. "Me nuh like liad, yu know."
Soon enough, when the hallway had cleared following the stern request made by a senior officer to keep the passage "sterile", the policeman on duty started thumbing away on his own cellphone.
Resembled Parliament sitting
Some JLP members were present, seated across from Samuda, as well as members of parliament including Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry, Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, Labour Minister Pearnel Charles and National Security Minister Dwight Nelson.
With many politicians present, the enquiry resembled a sitting of Parliament as laughter and mumbling were frequent.
At one point, Knight turned in his seat and had a staring contest with the JLP members, all of whom were sitting together. As the muscles in Knight's mouth visibly worked, the politicians burst into giggles.
For one man, the PNP's legal adviser A.J. Nicholson created a sore spot.
In response to everything Nicholson said out loud, the man would mumble something along the lines of "shut up".
"Was it Dudus?" Nicholson speculated in response to the mystery identity (-ties) of the persons who approached Harold Brady.
"Shut yu mout," the man mumbled.
"How do you know that?"
"Shut yu mout."
laura.redpath@gleanerjm.com
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