Why Ronald Robinson Resigned

  "........in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Dr Robinson admitted that his contact with Manatt "could have been inappropriate".

"For that I accept responsibility and should not have met with them, and for that I apologise. Note, however, that my only contact with the firm was twice between November 19 and 20, which was a full month or so after the website postings," Dr Robinson said.

He was in April this year identified as the Government official who met with officials of Manatt, the firm that was reportedly engaged by the Jamaican Government to lobby the United States to drop its extradition request for Christopher 'Dudus' Coke to face drug- and gun-running charges there.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Ronald-Robinson-resigns-as-senator-junior-minister_7634446#ixzz1CBnPUcRz

The public anxiously awaits the statement to be filed with the Commission of Enquiry. Meanwhile, his attorney has taken advantage of maximum media coverage. The attorney has informed that Robinson is a phone call away in the USA.

Update - The Sunday Observer has reported details of the filed statement by Ronald Robinson.

“The HPM,” said Robinson, using the acronym for the title Honourable Prime Minister, “instructed me to go to Washington to meet with the principals of MPP to brief them. My presence would also give some credence and strength to Mr Brady’s involvement.”

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/New-twist-to-Manatt-saga---Former-junior-minister-says-PM-sent-him-to-meet-with-law-firm-#ixzz1CXeRNu51

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PNP Probing Questions

The Dudus Enquiry may find the answers to the following questions extremely interesting. 


1. On what basis did the Solicitor General believe it was appropriate for private foreign citizens, in the persons of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, to attend a meeting between the Government of Jamaica and the Government of the United States involving highly sensitive and confidential issues?
Especially when, according to the Prime Minister, they were not engaged by the Government of Jamaica.
Would this not constitute an ethical breach?

2. Was the ambassador of Jamaica to the United States in Washington present at any of the meetings held between the Solicitor General and the US government authorities at which private foreign citizens from Manatt, Phelps and Phillips were also present?

3. Was the Jamaican ambassador to the US in Washington aware that Manatt, Phelps and Phillips were stating that they represent the Government of Jamaica and did he report this to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or any one else in the Government of Jamaica?

4. Did representatives of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips meet with officials of the Government of Jamaica other than the Solicitor General? If so, with whom, when and where?

5. What steps has the Government of Jamaica taken to clear the record with the US Justice Department to indicate that Manatt, Phelps and Phillips is not a representative of the Government of Jamaica?

6. Who paid the US$49,892.62 that Manatt, Phelps and Phillips reports to have paid for services rendered?
Was it the Government of Jamaica?
Was it Mr Brady?
Was it Mr Brady on behalf of his client?
If so, who is his client?

7. Did Mr Brady have any discussions with any officials of the Cabinet and Government of Jamaica other than the Solicitor General prior to signing the contract with Manatt, Phelps and Phillips?

8. Was the Solicitor General on a frolic of his own when he invited Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to attend the meeting between the Government of Jamaica and the US Government?

Source: Jamaica Gleaner

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Monday's Molotov

In our post Leys Lullaby, we had questioned the role of Solicitor General Douglas Leys.

After initially refusing the gratuitous offer made by the representative of MPP to attend the scheduled meeting of US State Department and Justice Department officials with GOJ officials, he was subsequently convinced to allow the representative to accompany the Jamaican delegation. We had wondered who or what convinced the SG to change his mind. After all has admitted on radio to include Jamaican attorney Harold Brady would have been improper.

Our information from a most reliable source is that the SG was in constant telephonic contact with government officials in Jamaica. On the first day of what has been dubbed the "Dudus Enquiry" we have been provided with the answer.

Coye testified that in December 2009, she went to the residence of Jamaican ambassador to Washington, Anthony Johnson, and that attorney Harold Brady was present together with an attorney from Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. She said that she later learned that the attorney was named Kevin Di Gregory.

She said that Deputy Solicitor General Lackston Robinson had told her that the lawyer would be a part of the Jamaican delegation to meet with US State Department and Justice Department officials, which included her, himself and Solicitor General Douglas Leys.

Coye further testified that Robinson told her Leys had included the Manatt lawyer in the delegation because he understood US law and understood the thinking of the Justice Department, being a former employee there.

The ambassador said she objected because there was no approval from Foreign Minister Ken Baugh or Dorothy Lightbourne, justice minister and attorney general. However, she said that when she confronted Leys, he told her that Lightbourne had given permission to expand the delegation.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Manatt-was-working-for-gov-t-on-Dudus---testimony#ixzz1BK1RaVB9

 This raises a number of questions:

• Was the Solicitor General speaking the truth, when he said on radio that the gratuitous offer was extended merely hours before the scheduled meeting?
• Was the Attorney General speaking the truth when she said that the first time she heard of the firm MPP was when the matter was raised in parliament?
• Did the Solicitor General seek and obtain the authority of the Attorney General Lightbourne before he accepted the gratuitous offer?
• What consideration was given to the objections by the officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the initial reservations of the Solicitor General?
• Did the Attorney General inform the Prime Minister of the inclusion of MPP along with the GOJ delegation?
• Were the Attorney General and the Prime Minister briefed as to the outcome of the meetings with the US govt. officials and the GOJ delegation which included the representative from MPP?
• Was there a post meeting conference at the law offices of MPP?
• If yes, what role did the MPP representative play in those post meeting discussions?

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Money Laundering?

Attorney Harold Brady has placed on the table the real possibility of money laundering activities being involved in the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips (MPP)/Dudus Extradition affair.

It has now been revealed that MPP insisted that any arrangement had to be on the basis of a government initiative and a paid retainer. Hence Brady had to assume the position/authority as a Consultant to the Government of Jamaica (GOJ). Of equal importance the retainer and subsequent payments would have had to be consistent with the contract being with the Government of Jamaica.

Thus the payments could not appear to be made by either a private individual or the Jamaica Labour Party. This is so because neither had any contract with MPP. The only entity that had a contractual relationship with MPP was the GOJ (albeit throughout Harold C. Brady - its Consultant.) To be acceptable to and accepted by MPP, the payments had to appear as emanating from the GOJ.

Brady alleges that PM Golding, after being informed of MPP conditions agreed to such and delegated Minister Vaz to handle all the "financial implications".

It is critical to read carefully Brady's allegations on this score, noting the sections that have been capitalized for emphasis.

"Consequently, our client is unaware of the mechanics of the payment of the MPP retainer WHICH WAS NOT HANDLED either BY HIS LAW OFFICE or by him personally"

Certain questions are unavoidable:

• What were the so-called "financial implications" involved?
• If neither Brady nor his office handled the "mechanics of the payment of the MPP retainer", did Daryl Vaz handle such?
• What were the so-called  "mechanics of the payment"?
• Were the payments to MPP laundered through any GOJ agency?
• Were the payments made by cheque or wire transfer?
• A news release stated that Brady & Co. had paid the sum of US$15,000.00 in order to bring closure to the arrangement with MPP.  Was such in furtherance of PM Golding's instructions "to ensure, as best as possible, that the Government did not appear to be involved"?

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Political Shrapnel

The political explosion occasioned by Brady's letter bomb - published in the Gleaner, Tuesday October 7, 2010 - has sent shrapnel with extreme prejudice in the direction of Prime Minister Golding and Minister Daryl Vaz. Brady has made some damming allegations - the truth of which must be ascertained.

There is enough defamation to go around with all contenders being offered generous proportions. However, it is political credibility that takes center stage.

Hence, we highlight the political shrapnel:

• Brady took instructions only from Prime Minister Golding. Thus for all intents and purposes, Bruce Golding was Brady's client.  
• The instructions centered on attempting to resolve the political issues raised by the extradition request for Christopher "Dudus" Coke.
• The employment of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips (MPP) was only possible if this was a Government of Jamaica (GOJ) initiative and under a paid retainer.
• Brady reported such in full to Prime Minister Bruce Golding.
• The Prime Minister agreed to the terms of engagement stipulated by MPP with the added condition that attempts be made to "ensure, as best as possible, that the Government did not appear to be involved."[emphasis added]
• Minister Daryl Vaz was delegated to handle all the "financial implications." (What the hell does that mean?)
• Both PM Golding and Minister Daryl Vaz were made aware of MPP pre-conditions and were central to the hatching of the conspiracy to deceive.

 The situation remains the same GOJ in 3D.

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Brady's Letter Bomb

Noted Attorney-at-Law Harold C. Brady has finally disclosed intimate details about the MPP/Dudus Extradition affair. The allegations are directed at Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Minister of Information Daryl Vaz who according to Brady must either be daft or needs his head examined.

Read the details of Brady's Complaint

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Lilac Alert

Some readers will be familiar with the euphemisms used by the GOJ in recent times. They range from aliens to the truth, at variance with the facts, inconsistency, incompatible, irreconcilable to half truths and mis-communication. They are just lies - no matter the spin.

Jamaicans have been subjected to a number of lies in recent times. We are tired of the GOJ lies.
Ja Cynic maintains in Daft Conspiracy that:

"The GOJ's responses have been confusing, convoluted and unconvincing.  They have conceded and confessed only when confronted with the facts."

However, we continue to be watchful.  Hence we have issued the Lilac Alert.

Minister of Justice in a signed affidavit indicated that she had informed the PM that she having considered all the factors had decided to sign the authority to proceed.

The actual situation is complicated by the fact that:

• The AG and Minister of Justice is one and the same.  
• The AG is the principal legal advisor to the cabinet.
• The Minister of Justice in such matters only acts on behalf of the government.
• As the PM had indicated to Parliament, that if the Minister dares to exercise her discretion independently and at variance with the position of the Cabinet, then the Minister must tender her resignation.
• From the very outset the PM has given the Parliament and the public the impression that he was the central player in this extradition affair.
• In a parallel initiative by persons within the JLP, the party leader sanctioned the scheme. (The party leader of the JLP is one and the same as the PM of Jamaica and Bruce Golding).
• There is a challenge before the court intended to review the circumstances under which the Minister of Justice exercised her discretion. Was she instructed by the PM to sign the relevant papers?
• The PM may have provided the answer in his national broadcast to wit;

"I wrestled with the potential conflict between the issues of non-compliance with the terms of the treaty and the unavoidable perception that because Coke is associated with my constituency, the government's position was politically contrived. I felt that the concepts of fairness and justice should not be sacrificed in order to avoid that perception. In the final analysis, however, that must be weighed against the public mistrust that this matter has evoked and the destabilizing effect it is having on the nation's business. Accordingly, the Minister of Justice, in consideration of all the factors, will sign the authorization for the extradition process to commence."
Source: Jamaica Infomation Service

• The PM has stated repeatedly that the GOJ has never refused the extradition request. Hence the GOJ merely delayed its approval until more information/clarification was provided.

It is clear that the US authorities made "something more" known to the PM.  Whether the PM has shared that lubrication with other members of the cabinet is entirely a different matter. What is evident is that he has not shared that critical information with the public.  We have always maintained that the driving force is the self interest of the JLP - the us and not Dudus.

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SAY WHAT!

• Bruce Golding has always given the impression that he is deliberate and considered in his utterances. He prides himself as a student of the law.
• Golding is know for his lofty expressions that as Leader of the Opposition found resonance amongst those desperate for the replacement for Sister P.
• Thus his performance on the BBC's Hard Talk is a classic -- and not for his announced criterion for inclusion in the cabinet.
• Well listen to the words of Prime Minister Bruce Golding again.  There are very interesting gospels on Tivoli, garrisons, corruption and governance. It is Bruce at his best.

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