On March 16, 2010, MP Dr. Peter Phillips questioned the Jamaican Prime Minister, Bruce Golding in Parliament about the relationship between the Jamaican Government and the US law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips. Does (or did) the Government of Jamaica have (or had) a contract with the United States law firm. Is (or was) the contract related to the negotiation of contentious extradition treaties. The Prime Minister categorically denied that there was any such contract.

Yesterday, May 12, 2010, after months of misleading the people of Jamaica, the Prime Minister, Bruce Golding admited in a statement to Parliament that in his capacity as leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), he gave authorization for Manatt, Phelps & Phillips to help lobby the United States on the extradition issue.

As quoted in The Gleaner, "I sanctioned the initiative, knowing that such interventions have, in the past, proven to be of considerable value in dealing with issues involving governments of both countries," the prime minister told Parliament. “I made it clear, however, that this was an initiative to be undertaken by the party, not by or on behalf of the Government."

I admit I am not a political scholar; I do have a difficulty understanding Mr. Golding’s two headed approach to this situation. Manatt, Phelps & Phillips could not have lobbied on behalf of the JLP party in this issue. They would have had to be acting on behalf of the Jamaican government. So why would the head of the JLP, Mr. Bruce Golding, be entering into a contract with them and not the head of the Jamaican Government, Mr. Bruce Golding. And who paid the bill of nearly USD50, 000.00.

I must say, today is a very sad day for Jamaica. If Mr. Golding truly believes he did nothing wrong, why didn’t he answer Mr. Peter Phillips on March 16, 2010 with the information stated on May 12, 2010 in Parliament. Does Mr. Golding think that all Jamaicans are idiots?  Not to mention his arrogant attitude which seems to suggest, ‘how dare we question him’. Someone needs to remind him that his responsibility as Prime Minister of Jamaica is to serve the people of Jamaica.

In the midst of all this, the extradition request involving alleged crime lord Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke has not been dealt with. Our children are being targeted and killed; in fact we have an average murder rate of 4 to 5 persons per day. Our civil servants, teachers, nurses, police etc are all restless. Our industries are all being sold, sugar, the airline, bauxite. We are a nation in crisis.

How are we to ever trust the leader of our nation again? Personally, I cannot.

Nuff Love