Recess ends for MPs today
Published:Tuesday | September 14, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter
PARLIAMENT RECONVENES today after its summer recess and among the issues expected to occupy the minds of legislators is the controversial emails involving correspondence between Solicitor General Douglas Leys and United States law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding is scheduled to respond to questions posed by South St Andrew Member of Parliament Dr Omar Davies.
Davies, the opposition spokes-man on finance, had tabled questions on July 27 regarding the emails exchanged between Leys and Manatt employees. Answers should have been provided on August 10.
Vowed to reignite issue
However, The Gleaner, after requesting the emails through the Access to Information Act, obtained the correspondence between Leys and the US law firm and published an exposé in late August.
Following ongoing national debate on the Manatt affair, the parliamentary opposition had vowed to reignite the issue in Gordon House, claiming there were many unanswered questions.
Golding had said repeatedly that he sanctioned the initiative to engage the US law firm but gave clear instructions that it should only be a party matter.
However, questions have been raised about the solicitor general's extensive communication with Manatt on a suggested press release on the extradition request for former Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, which was intended to be released jointly by the Jamaican and US governments.
Plans to issue the press release were abandoned but nothing in the emails indicated what led to the decision not to send out the press release, nor did the emails show when that decision was made.