Questionable Conduct: The Jamaican Political Reality

Christopher 'Dudus' Coke  reputedly had tremendous wealth, powerful financial and commercial connections locally and internationally.The actual amount, nature, extent and location have never been made public.The proceeds of his drug running would have been strategically laundered with the assistance of shell companies strategically based in facilitating jurisdictions; business and property holdings arranged so as not to reveal the beneficial owner; and wherever possible, business conducted on a cash or barter basis. Coke had many business associates cum partners and substantial contracts with the Government of Jamaica (GOJ). The full extent of his business relationships with the GOJ has never been made public or verified. Nationwide News Network gave some indication of the number of contracts and the spread of government agencies involved: “Records from the Office of the Contractor General show that Incomparable Enterprise, a company owned and operated by Tivoli Gardens don...

The extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke represents the most significant challenge to Jamaican statecraft to date. Political memories are short. It can be argued that the system is so designed that what has been politically embarrassing is conveniently forgotten. In this series attempts will be made to highlight some of the most potent aspects of this affair.  The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) has issued a formal apology to the residents of Tivoli, the members of the security forces and everyone that was involved in this sordid affair.The omnibus nature of that apology makes it completely meaningless and insincere. Furthermore, none of the main players involved in the decision-making processes, or the actual operation, has made an apology or even expressed regret. From their perspective, their actions were completely warranted and justified by the perceived threat to the Jamaican state. Extradition off Christopher Coke involved among other things: *death of 69-73 persons,...

The Tivoli Commission of Enquiry has been informed by both the then Minister of National Security, Dwight Nelson, and the then Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington, that the security forces had no idea how, if and when the fugitive Christopher "Dudus" Coke escaped the dragnet imposed on Tivoli Gardens in May 2010. Nelson too admits the there are a number of theories ; but he does not believe that the security forces "know for a fact" how Dudus managed to evade capture. Theories:  Coke never left  Tivoli Gardens during the military- police incursion; Coke escaped via tunnels constructed as waste water drains -- exiting at a gully in Hannah Town; Coke escaped on land disguised as a female.   ET #1: This seems very unlikely given the intensity of the searches conducted by the security forces. Indeed if Coke had remained undiscovered during the military-police operation, then there would be no need to risk being discovered by venturing outside of his '...