Tweet
<span style="font-weight: bold">News Source: OTGNR - </span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : Peter Phillips says ... ( Gleaner )...</span>
Former National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips testified today that he made offers to inform incoming National Security Minister Derrick Smith and Prime Minister Bruce Golding of the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) that were never taken up. Dr. Phillips was testifying at the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry at the Jamaica Conference Centre. But a skeptical Frank Phipps, the attorney representing the Jamaica Labour Party queried how Phillips failed to inform incoming Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller when she became Prime Minister in 2006, but was keen to inform members of the new administration a year later. "Don't you think it was incumbent on you to reveal details to the incoming Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller in 2006 of these MOUs?," Phipps queried. Dr. Phillips said the MOU embodied a set of policy arrangements which conformed to a long standing pattern of co-operation and did not consider it necessary to specifically refer to them to Simpson Miller. "Wouldn't that have the ability undermine the incoming Prime Minister," Phipps asked again. However, Dr. Phillips disagreed. He maintained that the MOUs simply gave voice to the existence of a pattern of co-operation. The former Minister was adamant that the first MOU he signed was not in breach of Jamaicans' constitutional rights. Phipps described the second MOU as an agreement between parties referred to the first MOU. Asked by Phipps whether by virtue of the intelligence garnered from the second MOU, that it could be used as evidence in courts in the United States, Phillips responded yes. Phipps contended that such may be sanitized in the United States and sent back to Jamaica for extradition purposes. "Isn't that sacrificing the constitutional rights of Jamaican citizens," asked Phipps. "Not in my view," Phillips replied. Dr. Phillips then clashed with Phipps who continued to ask questions about the MOUs. Dr. Phillips complained to the Chairman of the Enquiry Emil George that the same question was being asked repeatedly because Phipps was not satisfied with the answers given. "Frankly, I find it tiresome," declared Dr. Phillips. But Phipps made it clear that he would continue with his cross-examination.
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : Peter Phillips says ... ( Gleaner )...</span>
Former National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips testified today that he made offers to inform incoming National Security Minister Derrick Smith and Prime Minister Bruce Golding of the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) that were never taken up. Dr. Phillips was testifying at the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry at the Jamaica Conference Centre. But a skeptical Frank Phipps, the attorney representing the Jamaica Labour Party queried how Phillips failed to inform incoming Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller when she became Prime Minister in 2006, but was keen to inform members of the new administration a year later. "Don't you think it was incumbent on you to reveal details to the incoming Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller in 2006 of these MOUs?," Phipps queried. Dr. Phillips said the MOU embodied a set of policy arrangements which conformed to a long standing pattern of co-operation and did not consider it necessary to specifically refer to them to Simpson Miller. "Wouldn't that have the ability undermine the incoming Prime Minister," Phipps asked again. However, Dr. Phillips disagreed. He maintained that the MOUs simply gave voice to the existence of a pattern of co-operation. The former Minister was adamant that the first MOU he signed was not in breach of Jamaicans' constitutional rights. Phipps described the second MOU as an agreement between parties referred to the first MOU. Asked by Phipps whether by virtue of the intelligence garnered from the second MOU, that it could be used as evidence in courts in the United States, Phillips responded yes. Phipps contended that such may be sanitized in the United States and sent back to Jamaica for extradition purposes. "Isn't that sacrificing the constitutional rights of Jamaican citizens," asked Phipps. "Not in my view," Phillips replied. Dr. Phillips then clashed with Phipps who continued to ask questions about the MOUs. Dr. Phillips complained to the Chairman of the Enquiry Emil George that the same question was being asked repeatedly because Phipps was not satisfied with the answers given. "Frankly, I find it tiresome," declared Dr. Phillips. But Phipps made it clear that he would continue with his cross-examination.