Jamaican PM acted “inappropriately”

The Commissioners of the Manatt/Dudus Commission of Enquiry have found that Prime Minister Bruce Golding’s involvement in the Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke extradition was inappropriate.

At the same time, the commissioners have concluded that there is no evidence of misconduct on the part of the main players in the 2010 extradition of the former Tivoli Gardens strong man.

These were among the main findings of the Manatt report, which was tabled in the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, June 14.

The Emil George headed Manatt/Dudus Commission of Enquiry said the Prime Minister’s involvement was unfortunate given that it fuelled suggestions that the move was made to protect Mr. Coke.

In noting that the Prime Minister should have distanced himself, the report from the Manatt commissioners asserted that his failure to do so has left what they call an unfortunate suspicion that he was shielding an alleged narcotics dealer and drug smuggler.

At the same time, the report said the Jamaica Labour Party should never have been involved, given that there may have been “inappropriate commingling”.

The Manatt commissioners also found that attorney-at-law- Harold Brady did not carry out the Prime Minister’s instructions but at the same time concluded that based on the evidence presented to them, it was the JLP that engaged the United State-based law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips and not the Jamaican Government.

At the same time, the commissioners described the conduct of some lawyers at the hearing as discourteous and below the standard decorum but said their findings were not influenced by “such behaviour.”

The commissioners have recommended that the posts of the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice be separated and that the Cabinet should be informed of any amendment or memoranda that affect constitutional rights.

They have also recommended that the Commissioners of Enquiry should be given the powers of a Supreme Court judge to be empowered to cite acts of contempt.

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