US-Jamaicans scoffs at Manatt findings
Published:Thursday | June 16, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer
The findings of the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry are likely to be greeted with ridicule in the Jamaican diaspora community.
Irwin Clare, a Jamaican immigration consultant and talk-show host in New York, United States, said he believed many persons would say 'I told you nothing would come out of it' as they were sceptical from the start of the enquiry.
"This is unfortunate because a lot money was spent and what about the 73 lives that were lost? How comes we not that serious about those situations?" lamented Clare.
Members of the diaspora community who are attending the fourth biennial Diaspora Convention here yesterday shied away from discussing the issue, saying they had not read the commission's findings.
In its report to Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, which was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the commission exonerated politicians and other public servants of any misconduct in the execution of their duties in the Christopher 'Dudus' Coke extradition affair.
Inappropriate behaviour
The commissioners, however, found that Prime Minister Bruce Golding acted inappropriately and that his Jamaica Labour Party should not have got involved in the matter.
But giving his personal view, Clare slammed those findings, saying he was disheartened and amazed.
"I am amazed that so many of our public officials were caught not necessarily telling the truth and there were no repercussions," he said.
Clare said the challenge going forward is how Jamaicans would, at home and in the diaspora, view future commissions of enquiry.
"There is obviously some miscue here. If after spending nearly $100 million this is the result we come back with, it's a disappointment," he said.
"It's a disappointment from the standpoint where I am not certain that we should be very proud of this particular moment in our history," he added.