Reasons Golding should go

Two Wednesdays ago, former commissioner of police, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, in an interview with Garfield Burford on CVM TV's 'Direct', stated that extradition needed speed and secrecy to succeed. He also stated that Christopher 'Dudus' Coke was tipped off about the extradition request.

The Golding administration needs to understand that even a revengeful, incompetent, hypocritical political activist can speak the truth. The Government could refute the allegation by allowing the police to reveal when Dudus went and bunkered down in Tivoli. Also, somebody must have tipped off Coke because the extradition request was not in the public domain. In addition, how did Harold Brady and the financiers of US$400,000 know about the extradition from at least September? Did Cabinet ministers meet with Coke any time between August 2009 and March 2010? Lewin should also explain why US officials went to him first rather than the Government when this is a bilateral treaty. The Gleaner editorial is correct in calling for an investigation.

Lewin charged that when he and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) chief of staff went to brief Prime Minister Bruce Golding about the extradition request, the PM did not work out a strategy to execute the warrant on Coke. The JDF chief of staff has not come to the defence of his boss, the PM; therefore, it can be assumed that from the outset, Golding decided, before seeing the evidence, that no extradition was going to take place quickly.

Telling paradox

Furthermore, the paradox is that Golding fought 'tooth and nail' to prevent the extradition on grounds that it was illegal, etc., but Dudus did not fight the case in our court on the arguments used by Golding.

However, Lewin's most poignant point was concerning the death of security personnel and civilians numbering 73. Lewin argued that if the PM had moved with speed and secrecy and persons were killed, then he could not be blamed. However, Golding has to take the blame for lives lost, which were, as Dudus said, "an unnecessary loss of lives which could have been avoided". It is very likely that, had the PM moved in August, no lives would have been lost, no barricades mounted, no militia mobilised and no need for Al Miller's intervention. In fact, after Coke was captured, not unlike the last time, not even one shot was fired at him or in his defence.

But there are another 100 reasons. The PM has admitted that he sanctioned the hiring of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. The Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) hijacking the role of the Government is novel as the Golding government sought to undermine itself. However, this rare, corrupt act has not been investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Deception or lying?

Furthermore, Manatt claims that it was not hired to deal with Dudus' extradition case. If Manatt is being truthful, then the real reason for entering into a contract valued at US$400,000 was not to fight the extradition. It means the JLP financiers were hoodwinked, Dudus was deceived and the JLP destabilised for this corrupt scheme. What then was the scheme?

The PM has not explained how Manatt was "made to believe" that they were employed by the Government, neither has he provided documentary evidence that Manatt was not paid with tainted money.

Since Golding appears unwilling or unable to provide documentary evidence for his edicts; to answer questions in Parliament or before the press; to appoint a Commission of Enquiry and has also disregarded the ultimatum of the private sector and the civil society and the many other stated reasons, then Golding should go.

Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'The Cross and the Machete: Native Baptists of Jamaica - Identity, Ministry and Legacy'. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.