Questionable Conduct: The Jamaican Political Reality

Extradition of Christopher "Dudus" Coke involved among other things: * death of 69-73 persons * declaration of a limited state of emergency * resignation of a Prime Minister * use of mortars on a civilian population * armed intervention against the state * hiring of a law firm to lobby the US Government in an inter-state matter * resignation of a  Senator from the incumbent regime * commissioning of two(2) commissions of enquiry * payment by the state of damages incurred * the killing of Mr. Keith Clarke, at his residence in Upper St. Andrew, resulting in three (3) members                          of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) being charged with murder * involvement of a US military spy plane apparently without the knowledge and consent of either the Minister of National Security or the Minister of Defence (the Prime Minister) * military assistance provided by the USA to the Jamaican secur...

                There has been considerable public debate about the Leader of the Opposition, Andrew Holness, decision to appeal the Declaratory Order of the Constitutional Court in the Matter of Arthur Williams v Andrew Holness. In an attempt to expedite the matter, the President of the Court of Appeal, Seymour Panton, has set March 16-17 for the hearing, pushing aside other appeal cases . Such recognises the urgent public interest that attends this constitutional matter. Some have argued that the Leader of the Opposition should just accept the judgement, allow the offended Senators to resume their seats, and unreservedly apologise to the public of Jamaica. Thus this political distraction would fade away as the JLP focuses on matters central to the welfare of the electorate and mobilizing for an electoral victory.   In sum, it is not in the interest of the JLP to have this Senate imbroglio occupy public space for a ...