All in order
Published:Thursday | February 10, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Leys says there was no harm in taking Manatt representatives to the meetings
Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter
SOLICITOR GENERAL Douglas Leys says it was not improper of him to take representatives of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips into meetings involving officials of Jamaica and United States (US) on the Christopher 'Dudus' Coke extradition matter.
He said Susan Scmidt of Manatt who was introduced to him by attorney-at-law Harold Brady had suggested that representatives of the US law firm accompany the Jamaican delegation to a meeting at the US State Department.
"The offer was made in terms that the Manatt representative would come as an observer, also that it would have been at no cost to the Government of Jamaica and I acceded to that offer," Leys told the Commission of Enquiry at the Jamaica Conference Centre on Tuesday.
Asked by Oliver Smith, counsel leading evidence in chief on his behalf, whether it was improper to take Manatt to the meeting Leys said no.
"I have reflected on this very deep and thoughtfully and hindsight is a wonderful thing too. Given the reflections that I have had I don't think I did anything improper," Leys said.
He added: "This was a pre-emptive concern meaning that the representatives would be well up on the curves and well up on the issues if and when we decided to retain them.
"Further, at this meeting, which was a meeting of lawyers, no state secrets were being divulged, it was a revelation of the legal issues to the State Department, so they could have an understanding and appreciation of what was the position of the Government of Jamaica," Leys said.
Manatt was hired, purportedly by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), to help resolve what the Jamaican Government said was a treaty dispute with the US, which had requested the extradition of Coke.
Powerful JLP member
Evidence has been given at the commission that Coke is a powerful member of the JLP who lived in west Kingston, represented by Prime Minister Bruce Golding.
Meanwhile, despite Leys being the legal advisor to the attorney general and the man who stood at the centre of the discussions between the Government of Jamaica and the United States of America, while at the same time fiddling with Manatt, he was never subpoenaed to give evidence to the Commission of Enquiry.
"I am voluntarily submitting myself to the jurisdiction of the commission as this is a a public enquiry and I believe I have information that would contribute to the findings of the commission," Leys said.