News Briefs

 Dudus, Manatt enquiry in Budget

The Government has set aside just under $40 million to fund the commission of enquiry into the issues related to the extradition request for Christopher 'Dudus' Coke and the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair.

A detailed review of the Supplementary Estimates tabled Tuesday indicates that $39.4 million has been budgeted.

Of this amount, $30.3 million will go towards paying the commissioners and the other employees of the commission.

The enquiry is expected to begin next week with three commissioners hearing evidence and at least two high-profile lawyers marshalling the evidence.

Some $5.66 million has been set aside to buy goods and pay for services while $2.82 million will go towards the rental of property, machinery and equipment.

McCook new UN rep

Ambassador Wayne McCook has been appointed Jamaica's new permanent representative to the United Nations and its Specialised Agencies in Geneva.

A career diplomat, McCook is head of the policy planning unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. He served as Jamaica's first resident ambassador to China, having been assigned the task of establishing Jamaica's embassy in that country. He was also assigned (concurrently) as non-resident ambassador to Vietnam, The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Thailand, Laos; and non-resident high commissioner to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Singapore.

McCook succeeds Ambassador Peter Black, a career diplomat, who was posted to Geneva in 2008. Black will be going on pre-retirement leave in January 2011, completing 40 years of service with the foreign ministry.

McCook is expected to assume office in January.