War of words - Golding, Knight get testy at Manatt commission
Published:Thursday | March 31, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
The Jamaica Conference Centre erupted into a shouting frenzy in the midst of another verbal clash between Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Senator K.D. Knight, the attorney representing the People's National Party, at yesterday's sitting of the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry.
"This is the only forum where I have to tolerate the rudeness of Mr Knight," declared Golding as the two men refused to relent.
As if on cue, JLP supporters started to hurl abuse at Knight, forcing commission Chairman Emil George to bring an end to the second session.
Golding had taken exception to queries raised by Knight over his silence over whether Dr Ken Baugh, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, had misled Parliament on the issue.
Baugh had told the House of Representatives that Robinson had gone on public business but this has been contradicted by Golding who maintained in his testimony that the former state minister had gone to Washington on his instructions as an officer of the Jamaica Labour Party.
Ground already covered
As Knight pressed for answers, Golding commented that the lawyer was going over ground already covered.
Knight said he would ask the question as many times as he desired, to which Golding replied: "You have only two and a half days."
Golding has served notice that he would not be returning to give testimony after Friday, as the tabling of the Budget has already been delayed by a week.
However, an inflamed Knight charged that the delay in the Budget had nothing to do with Golding's presence at the enquiry.
Knight claimed that Finance Minister Audley Shaw had told the opposition finance spokesman, Dr Omar Davies, that an error had occurred which forced the postponement of the debate.
"That is absolute rubbish," fumed Golding. "Cabinet has not even retreated because I am here … and has to be held next weekend."
As both men continued, Knight suggested that Golding had plotted a web of deceit in the Robinson affair.
"That is rubbish," Golding responded again.
Countered Knight: "In furtherance of your deceit, Dr Robinson would have been the fall guy. You were acting deceptively in carrying out your programme of deceit."
"Nonsense," the prime minister snapped back.