Enquiry Lost

The Manatt COE runs the very real risk of losing its way and/or losing public confidence/attention in its deliberations. One of the factors grabbing public attention is the opportunity to explain or clarify confusing and contradictory statements made in the public by politicians and public servants in what has been called the "Dudus" extradition affair. The Chief offenders are the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Information, the Solicitor General and Attorney-at-law Harold Brady.

The former Commissioner of Police has made some explosive statements in an interview conducted on CVM Direct and the Minister of National Security has responded vehemently to the assertions made.  The enquiry must of necessity consider all things in the public domain. It has to consider all the previous statements made by key personnel.  It cannot afford to ignore or bar any section of any public pronouncement.  We are therefore surprised that up until the time of writing, that interview with the former Commissioner of Police has not been aired in the Commission. Indeed it seems inescapable that certain interests are hell bent on preventing such being disclosed to the commission. The Commissioners would be well advised to make arrangements for such interview to be aired within the Commission and the former Commissioner be recalled to explain, elaborate or expand any view that may pique the interest of the battery of attorneys present. Until then we would issue a call in the public interest for CVM to repeat that interview in the hope that it may jog the memories of those who seem to have forgotten the very nature and impact of the Commissioner's statement.

Nationwide and Newstalk should rebroadcast interviews with SG Douglas Leys now that he has given his testimony.

Brady and PM Golding are involved in a defamation suit in the supreme court and Brady has simply ignored the Manatt COE.  More anon.

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Code Secret

One of the highest classifications used by the Ministry of National Security to indicate the level of confidentiality of highly sensitive documents is SECRET! This is normally placed at strategic points throughout the document. Sometimes it may be in red. 

 Nevertheless the classification indicates that only authorized individuals should have access to such documents and under no circumstances should there have cause for its publication to unauthorized individuals. This is essential for the effectiveness of national security operations especially those involving transnational organized crime.

Indeed it is well known that there are foreign law enforcement agents operating in Jamaica. Frequently they provide technical and logistic assistance to their Jamaican counterparts. For example, they may be involved in "sting operations", fugitive apprehension and counter narco-terrorism activities. It has been a feature of small independent countries to enter into "secret" arrangements between the more powerful and technologically superior states. Indeed there is even the arrangement where the captured bounty is shared. 

It is of paramount importance that the confidentiality of such arrangements is not compromised by unauthorized publication of the details of such bi-lateral relationships.  The classification has to be respected by both countries and forms the context in which future relationships are struck in the area of national security.

In most countries, there are criminal sanctions for those found guilty of unauthorized possession of classified documents. 

• Will the Manatt COE investigate the presence of highly confidential information at the headquarters of the Presidential Click?
• Will the Manatt COE investigate the persons within the JLP who facilitated the unauthorized sharing of information with journalists in a certain media house?
• Will the persons be held accountable for what must be regarded as a criminal act?

Don't hold your breath!

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