Fire Dem!

The MPP  Commission of Enquiry a flop! Nutten nah gwaan!

PM Bruce Golding for whatever reasons ( pressure from business sector, need to rehabilitate political credibility, to prove that he was always speaking the truth)) established the Emile George QC chaired Commission.

Chief Servant Golding attempted to lead by example by filing his statement early in the day and indicated (through his counsel) that he stands ready to give evidence at the convenience of the Commission. Sadly none of his Cabinet colleagues chose to follow the Leader's example,  The most egregious example is that of Dorothy Lightbourne who is:

• A senior Attorney of many years standing
• A learned Queens Counsel (QC)
• The Minister of Justice
• The Attorney General (The Legal Advisor to the Cabinet)
• Leader of Government Business in the Senate
• A key operative in the extradition process

This illustrious lady failed to comply with the COE stipulated deadlines for filing statements - both the original and extensions.  The excuse given is that one of the two attorneys representing her. Is it that she had no confidence (pun intended) in the other or was she incapable of crafting her own statement?

Somehow one could have gained the impression that writing the truth would have been easy - certainly within the competence of the Legal Advisor of the Cabinet.

But Lightbourne is not alone.  Where are the statements of the other members of the Cabinet inextricably involved in this matter, such as Minister of National Security, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Information & Special Projects?

We suggest to the Chief Servant that he should no longer tolerate such slackness.  If the statements are not filed by the next Cabinet meeting they should not be required to attend any more meetings of the Cabinet. 

Fire dem!!

He who decided to lead by example must ensure that he is being followed. Do something Leader!

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GOJ in 3D

Lying takes place on a number of levels and dimensions. Politicians are expected to be adept at the art and skill in so-called spin. Government spin serves no purpose unless it has a modicum of credibility. Sadly this JLP administration are either daft or in need of head examinations or both.

The GOJ is in 3D -
deep do do ;
dunce, duncer and duncest;
deceptive, despicable  and dirty.

Did you ever think that "persons within the JLP" could have hatched such a plot without the knowledge, participation and approval of the party hierarchy? Such would of necessity involve at the minimum the party leader, General Secretary and the Treasurer and/or the Deputy Treasurer.

Is then any wonder that the published Samuda's findings failed to mention the role played by the Party Leader in "sanctioning" the hiring of the US law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips  (MP&P)? But even more damning is the fact that MP&P would not have been able to engage US officials of the State Department and the Justice Department in talks concerning the extradition treaty between US and Jamaica unless MP&P was officially representing the GOJ.

Was Golding so informed and did he sanction the ruse?

So Brady signed as "Consultant to the Government of Jamaica" was not in any way an error.  The clause in the contract was very specific to avoid any misrepresentation of the authority under which Brady was operating.  The Consultant designation was an essential element of the conspiracy within the JLP to effect lobbying efforts in Washington.

There are more questions being raised by Golding's belated confession.

• When exactly did Golding sanction the initiative?
• Did Golding receive progress reports and issue directives on the initiatives?
• Who were the other co-conspirators within the JLP?
• How were funds amassed - voluntary contributions and/or gentle extortion?
• Were the financial contributors themselves beneficiaries of government contracts/state largesse ?
• Since Christopher "Dudus" Coke would have been the main beneficiary of such main lobbying efforts, what measures were instituted to monitor his participation - financially or otherwise?
• Did the party leader inform the AG, Minister of Justice and the Minister of Foreign Affairs about this parallel political initiative?

The GOJ continues in 3D - denial, desperation and damnation.

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Close Encounters: 00-50 H B

Well you all thought that the political scenarios in the Dudus Extradition Affair (DEA) and the Brady Factor (BF) were out of some B class Hollywood script.

Here is the pre-release:

Now the latest scene is entitled Brief Social Encounters . It has nothing to do with Sex in the City but mainly with 007 0050 HB in Washington. 

Can you imagine a chance encounter with 0050 HB and Ronald in Washington? Invitations are issued, some are declined but some are accepted. Sounds familiar?  So we all just get along - socially over drinks.  Such a game is employed by those involved in courtship - not of the judicial kind.

But the scene has been played out before, starting at the Norman Manley airport in Kingston, Jamaica.  There was a chance meeting between 0050 HB and Dougie both on their way to Washington on parallel mission. Agent 0050 HB invites Dougie to get familiar with some Washington lobbyists - the same ones that would having drinks with Ronald. But having made social acquaintances, Dougie initially refuses a gratuitous offer but is later convinced that his newly made acquaintance should accompany him to his close encounter with US State officials. Unlike Ronald, Dougie did not have any drinks.

There have been unconfirmed reports of other close encounters, those involving persons within the JLP and Agent 0050 HB. Reports are that such persons decided to undertake and finance an operation aimed at assisting the GOJ in resolving a treaty dispute it had with the USA.

Back at  HQ Branch, OBG is Commander-in-the-Dark with GS Sam-the-Sanctioner; and Thor is conveniently unaware. 

Who is Special Agent 0050 HB? A man with vast experience in International Law and Politics to assist in this regard. He is not daft, but deft in his management of such affairs and his invitations are not likely to be declined. He has successfully engaged not-too brief social encounters in the past. Some have received wide press coverage.

0050 HB is fully aware that he will have to sing and dance in this one. Such caberet performances cost a bag of money. 

Need an MC for your wedding? Special Agent  0050 HB is available.

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Lies, Damn Lies and Dunce Lies

A full statement has been released by Samuda on his findings re the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Engagement by Brady and Co.

The nine point statement raises a number of questions.

Point one: Who are those "persons within the JLP" who approached Mr. Brady? If there was a treaty dispute between the US and Jamaica why is the JLP interfering in such?

Point two: What is Brady's vast experience in international law and politics ? Is there no one else in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in possession of such skills? Why not appoint Harold Brady Consultant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Point three: Why is Mr. Brady's firm retaining the services of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips to have discussions with relevant officials of the US government, in which the GOJ has no interest?

Point four: If the meeting between the Solicitor General and officials of the State and Justice Departments was arranged by the Min of Foreign Affairs and the US Embassy of Jamaica, on what basis would the Solicitor General seek to include an "observer" a couple hours before its commencement.

Point five: Who are the members of the team that accompanied the Solicitor General to that meeting? On what basis was the Solicitor General discussing with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips alternative approaches that have to be taken in similar treaty disputes with the US? Solicitor General Leys indicated that the meeting was arranged by Brady and was mainly introductory. This does not square with Samuda's findings.

Point six:  How did the Solicitor General obtain "the full approval of the State Department" to have a representative of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips attend the meeting as an "observer".

Point seven: If Samuda's findings are true then the Solicitor General is duty bound to tender his resignation by his acceptance of the suggestion by a firm: with which he had had no previous contact, did not inform him that they had already been retained by Brady & Co. and without more he invited them to "observe" discussions between the GOJ and officials of the government of the United States.

Point eight:  What is a brief social encounter? How does one arrange such with a representative of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips? In what capacity was Harold Brady acting when he issued an invitation to the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to attend a meeting at the State Department? Who attended that meeting? Is it mere coincidence that Dr. Ronald Robinson and Harold Brady were in Washington at the same time, similar to the chance meeting of Brady and Leys?

Point nine: Have "persons within the JLP" entered into any contractual arrangement with Manatt, Phelps and Phillips? Have "persons within the JLP" facilitated the payments of submitted invoices?

So persons within the JLP decided to assist the JLP government.  This apparently was done without the knowledge of members of the JLP who are also members of the cabinet.  What exactly was the interest of the JLP in this matter? Furthermore Manatt, Phelps and Phillips would have provided written reports of its meetings and positions reached with officials of the US state and justice departments. These would have been provided to Brady and Co. for the benefit of "persons within the JLP". Did those reports reach cabinet members within the JLP? 

So Bruce Golding was not informed of such dealings in his capacity of Prime Minister of Jamaica. Was he so informed in his capacity as leader of the Jamaica Labour Party? Why has it taken so long for members of the hierarchy of the JLP to admit that this initiative was conceived and hatched within the JLP?

And the cow jumped over the moon.

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