EDITORIAL - Make it an inquiry of truth

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is finally heading in a direction that he might have gone long ago, saving his reputation some of the scars and keloids that will be difficult, if not impossible, to repair.

And, more important, Mr Golding and his ministers could have focused more of their energies on repairing Jamaica's badly weakened economy, rather than lurching from one potential political crisis to another with every new revelation about their management of the Christopher Coke-Manatt scandal.

Having now decided to establish a commission of inquiry into the sorry, and some would say sordid, episode, Mr Golding should not now attempt to assume the role of illusionist. The announcement is not the commission. Nor must this commission of inquiry be allowed to follow into haplessness the one that was supposed to have been looking into the financial-sector collapse of the late 1990s and the operation of FINSAC.

In other words, Mr Golding must ensure that this inquiry gets at the truth, as he suggests is his intent, of why his administration opposed America's attempt to extradite the former west Kingston overlord/businessman, who the US accused of smuggling narcotics and guns.

The probe must also fully ventilate the basis on which the US lobbyists, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, were engaged to persuade the US government to change tack on its extradition request. This must include:

The specific brief to Manatt;

Who made the deal and on whose authority and oversight;

Who were the specific players and their respective roles;

Why was there commingling among the legal representatives of the State and ruling party officials in their political capacities, in an initiative that was ostensibly being conducted by the Jamaica Labour Party;

Who paid the bills;

Whether Coke had prior information about America's formal extradition request; and

Who, if anyone, leaked the information.

Framing the terms of reference of this inquiry will therefore be critical. So, too, will be the persons named to be commissioners and how they go about their job.

While, as Mr Golding reminded, "the buck has to stop somewhere", we believe that it would find it useful to consult with civil-society groups as well as the Opposition before coming to a determination of these matters. For the worst thing he would want is for the commission to lack legitimacy.

We would suggest that, given how well aired this issue has been in Jamaica and the wide impact it has had on the society, the prime minister should be exceedingly careful in how he selects the commissioners. We would not be opposed to Mr Golding looking towards the persons who formed the Electoral Commission as possible candidates.

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