Political Discourse in Jamaica

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

This is how you get things done. This how you debate:

Mon Sep 18, 2006
Drummily residents block roads to get better roads

Residents of Drummily and its environs in Trelawny have blocked over six miles of roadway in the community in protest against poor road conditions.
The residents say the roads have been in a deplorable state for too long and they have become frustrated.

The placard bearing residents say they have made several attempts to meet with their Member of Parliament, Patrick Harris, but to no avail.

The roads were blocked from Deeside to Drummily from as early as six Monday morning forcing motorists and commuters to seek alternative routes.

Trees, derelict vehicles and other debris have been used to block the roads in different sections.

The irate residents have vowed to continue the demonstrations if their grouse is not addressed.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/news/story.php?category=2&story=28336

[Blackstar*]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

Gleaner asst news editor to study investigative journalism in US
published: Sunday | September 24, 2006

The United States Embassy in Kingston has announced the selection of Robert Hart, assistant news editor with the Gleaner Company to participate in the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program on investigative journalism. The U.S. State Department, through the International Visitor Leadership Program, sends emergent leaders from all over the world to travel to the United States each year to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience the country and its institutions first-hand.

Mr. Hart, a graduate of the University of the West Indies, Mona, who has been in the field of print journalism for over four years, was senior parliamentary reporter before he assumed the role of assistant news editor last year. Mr. Hart said that he was pleased "to be taking part in the programme as it will give me an opportunity to view first-hand the professional environment for journalism in the U.S. as well as share experiences with colleagues from nations such as Lebanon, Rwanda and Iraq."

Investigative journalism
The three-week multi-city programme, which begins September 28, will afford Mr. Hart and his counterparts from 21 other countries the opportunity to learn about the role of investigative journalism in a democracy including access to information, politics and media ethics. Among his many activities, Mr. Hart will visit television, radio and print media outlets in Washington D.C., and meet with editorial journalists in San Francisco, California. He is also scheduled to meet with representatives of the New York Police Department and court system to discuss the investigative coverage of crime.

Other topics to be examined during the visit include online journalism, media and politics, community television, media watchdogs, impact of technology, journalism as a business and newsrooms at major media outlets.
__________________________________________________ ______________

PNP takes swipe at media
Sunday, September 24, 2006

Campaign director of the ruling People's National Party, Dr Paul Robertson, yesterday promised to "take an active stance" against what he described as elements of the media that were perceived to be in favour of one party.

Addressing delegates, observers and supporters attending the third day of the party's 68th annual conference, Dr Robertson, who was speaking after the polls closed for the vice-presidential elections, narrowed his swipe to the print media.

"We have to take an active stance against elements of the media. One newspaper appears to have taken a stance as if they are running a campaign for the Jamaica Labour Party," Dr Robertson said.
BStar: This sounds rather alarming.

Some journalists discussed the issue among themselves while others threatened to leave the venue.

At least one senior journalist expressed surprise at the outburst and suggested that the lives of journalists could be placed at risk with the pronouncement.

Recently, at a community meeting in rural Jamaica, an official of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party attacked the media from a political platform.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica


Yellow Journalism at its best...err worst.


ROPER'S PERSPECTIVE by Garnett Roper


-------------------------------------------------------------------

<u>The polls and the Portia factor</u>

The third of three opinion polls in less than two months has been published. The findings of the respective polls are as different as there are varieties of political opinion in Jamaica. The first poll gave the PM and the PNP a double-digit lead. The JLP analysis said the poll was taken before they took their five-day trip around the island.

The second poll showed that the JLP was four points behind the PNP. The JLP said it was a statistical dead heat. The third poll said that the PNP was only point four of a percentage point ahead. The JLP said that it proved that its work in the field had paid off.

The first issue raised by the poll is whether they are scientific or idiosyncratic. One would think that the gap between the polls needs to be narrowed for all of them to be credible. As it is, all we can say is that if one talks to any three combinations of a thousand people, each they will tell you three different things. It could also be that only one of the polls is accurate or that none of them is to be trusted.

They do however, to be fair, share some important things in common. The first is that though their margins differ all the polls say that the PNP is ahead. This itself is a remarkable achievement for the PNP that has been in Government for more than 17 years and has never enjoyed favourable treatment by the media in general, talk shows in particular or the middle class.

Indeed, it would be fair to say that the money class has devoted significant resources over the decade and a half to unseating the PNP, and still it enjoys a measure of popular support, tenuously so, but favourable nonetheless.

Desperate gamble
The second thing that the opinion polls tell us is that the JLP is not gaining at all. To the extent that the margins between itself and the PNP are being reduced, it is the PNP that has lost ground and not necessarily that the JLP has gained ground. It is of course, to the enormous credit of the JLP that it has found a way to comfort itself and spinning the numbers in its favour despite what they actually say.

The best one can say about that is that it is a change from the past when they use to personalise their misfortunes at the opinion polls by demonising their own leader. Others, however, think that the JLP is living in a fool’ paradise. For example, the JLP has found a clever way of muting good news on behalf of the people into something to be deprecated.

It gambled heavily in its opposition to the Portmore toll road by taking the Government to court, and organising boycotts and protests against the much needed and now well travelled road in the interest of the people of Portmore. It was a political mistake as far as I am concerned for which it will pay a heavy political price. Because the political acting in that manner would have demonstrably shown that it does not know what is good for the people it is seeking an opportunity to represent.

Having gambled so heavily and lost, the JLP has continued its desperate gamble with something like the Sandal’s Whitehouse issue. It has continued to flog a dead horse in the media, despite the findings of both the contractor general and the forensic audit that Sandal’s Whitehouse is value for money, which by the way is the only verdict that matters.

It has persisted, though it has now dropped the epithet Scandal’s Whitehouse, even though its approach to this whole affair has made her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition into the mouthpiece of a single, large private interest; and as such against the interest of the people and of the State. Sandal’s Whitehouse, like the Portmore toll road for Portmore is palpably in the interest of the development of the South Coast of Jamaica and the people that live in that part of Jamaica.


The new employment and the new economic opportunities generated by that fantastic facility is making a world of difference to the economy of the South Coast and the National coffers.

Once again the JLP is seeking to spin its way out, and therefore betraying a tendency to fail to take the intelligence of the electorate seriously. If there is an election called soon the JLP may get away with it, but over time it will become palpably obvious that it has not organised itself in a manner that understands what is in the best interest of the people. The cheap shot politics to which it has committed itself will rob it of a chance to govern the people of this country.

Masses time now
The polls also tell us that Portia is not the factor in so far as the standing of her party, that section of the PNP tells us that she will be. I think that the polls in this respect betray the bias of the pollsters. I think that they are profoundly mistaken. For my part I have made that mistake before, and I make the effort to learn from my mistake.

The PNP internal elections told a very important story: It was made clear then that the Jamaican people know what they want and who they want. They believed that of the three candidates on offer, only one represented a break with the past — past that in their mind was not organised in their interests.

By some logic the PNP in Government, in the mind of the masses, had always postponed their agenda. They were always next in line, after the reading of the next budget. And to the way of thinking of the broad mass of the people represented by a not insubstantial section of the PNP delegates, they were not prepared to wait any longer. It was their time now, and they were not going take any chance on losing their place in the line. Portia, rightly or wrongly, represented their place in the line. It is one thing for the JLP is to downplay that. After all, what else can they do in all the circumstances? It is another thing for pollsters to ignore it or mute it.

The middle class does not wish for Portia to speak for them. The upper classes, according to Don Anderson, by a margin of 17 and 16 per cent are in favour of the JLP over the PNP. It is class cleavage that is going hurt this country very badly. We are back where we were in 1980 where the issue was more class prejudice than ideology. The JLP, though its rhetoric says something else, is positioning itself squarely with the class interest of its former masters.

The people are suspicious of the classes that have disproportionately benefited from political favours down through the years. Portia is not loved because she is PNP but because the masses believe that she is theirs. That is enormous political capital. Any pollster that ignores that will be finding other work to do.

Well, put it this way, the Observer may have space, because Mark Wignall the former pollster, cannot keep it up for much longer. Remember Mark Wignall allowed his despite for PJ Patterson to influence his poll findings, and now he is out of work as a pollster. Others will follow him, if they ignore the Portia factor.

http://www.sunheraldjamaica.com/editorial2.htm

[Blackstar*]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

[ QUOTE ]
The Gleaner newspaper quickly established itself as a sort of opposition to Manley's socialism, branding it communism in sheep's clothing and decidedly earning the ire of the progressive forces.

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be interesting to read articles from back then and see how they compare to today's press.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

PNP takes swipe at media
Sunday, September 24, 2006

Campaign director of the ruling People's National Party, Dr Paul Robertson, yesterday promised to "take an active stance" against what he described as elements of the media that were perceived to be in favour of one party.

Addressing delegates, observers and supporters attending the third day of the party's 68th annual conference, Dr Robertson, who was speaking after the polls closed for the vice-presidential elections, narrowed his swipe to the print media.

"We have to take an active stance against elements of the media. One newspaper appears to have taken a stance as if they are running a campaign for the Jamaica Labour Party," Dr Robertson said.
BStar: This sounds rather alarming.

Some journalists discussed the issue among themselves while others threatened to leave the venue.

At least one senior journalist expressed surprise at the outburst and suggested that the lives of journalists could be placed at risk with the pronouncement.

Recently, at a community meeting in rural Jamaica, an official of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party attacked the media from a political platform.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oliver Clarke: Phone calls at dawn from an angry prime minister
The Desmond Allen Interviews
Desmond Allen
Sunday, April 03, 2005

.....Two years before that - the year that Clarke moved the JNBS to Kingston headquarters from Savanna-la-Mar - Michael Manley's People's National Party (PNP) Government had announced itself democratic socialist and set out on a path to build an egalitarian society.

The centrepiece of the plan was to give power to the people, the voiceless hordes existing in abject poverty, in miserable hovels and in sprawling slums across the land - they who were oppressed by an unthinking ruling class, unflatteringly described as rapacious capitalists by overzealous leftists.

In that same year, 1974, Edward Seaga outfoxed Hugh Lawson Shearer and became leader of the conservative, pro-free enterprise Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) which had the solid backing of the United States. This collision of two events was to set up a fierce ideological struggle in which, at least according to the politicians, Jamaica was divided into the 'progressive forces' - those to the left of centre - and the 'reactionaries' - those to the right of centre. In the middle of it all was the pro-business Gleaner Company.

Last one to leave turn off the lights

Under its editor-in-chief, Hector Wynter, a former chairman of the JLP now turned journalist, The Gleaner newspaper quickly established itself as a sort of opposition to Manley's socialism, branding it communism in sheep's clothing and decidedly earning the ire of the progressive forces. Inside the country, violence - much of it political in nature and origin - raged out of control.

A massive flight of capital and brains sapped the economic energy of the country. Jamaica was now floundering in uncharted waters and on the brink of collapse. One cute graffiti suggested "the last one to leave please turn off the lights". Into this boiling cauldron of despondency and danger stepped Oliver Frederick Clarke in April 1976, aged 32, on a two-year secondment from Jamaican National. Wittingly or unwittingly, Clarke had joined the fray.

Three months later, on June 19, 1976, Manley's Government declared a State of Emergency, ostensibly to stem the violence and loosen its vice-like grip on the island. Clarke arrived at his office on the Gleaner's fifth floor to find a communication from the Competent Authorities - the heads of the police and the army - on his desk.

The document demanded that henceforth, the contents of the newspaper must be submitted to them for vetting before publication. Clarke felt as if he had received a kick in the stomach and he uttered something unprintable. After collecting his thoughts, he phoned Hector Wynter and the other managers and set up a meeting.

Tell them to kiss my.

Leslie Ashenheim was in London vacationing when the phone rang. It was Oliver Clarke calling from North Street, Kingston. He told the Gleaner chairman what had happened in Jamaica and specifically about the communication from the Competent Authorities. To comply meant the end of the free press as they knew it.

Not to comply could mean indefinite detention for Gleaner managers. Sensing his new MD's trepidation, Ashenheim, the old battle axe, was brutal in his response. "Tell them to kiss my (you know what)." Clarke felt as if a weight had lifted off his shoulders. Ashenheim had voiced his own inclination and he got ready to do battle.

"Hector Wynter and I sat down that night and discussed what we would do. We would send them the paper each morning, after it was printed!" Clarke recounts. "We got a few calls from them, but, happily, they did not pursue the matter." Clarke and The Gleaner had won the first round. But the real test was yet to come.

Financially, the Gleaner was in a mess. The company was bleeding red ink and was heavily in debt. On top of that, buying newsprint on which the paper was produced was becoming very problematic. It was necessary to have a licence to import stuff and sometimes the company had to wait up to six months before being allowed to pay for the newsprint, on account of the acute foreign exchange shortage in the country.

Clarke and his team decided that to dig the Gleaner Company out of the hole, they would launch a debenture stock issue. It became the biggest debenture issue in the country's history, with over 2,000 investors buying in, he says. When the debenture was repaid, investors had the option of converting up to 25 per cent to shares in the company.

That gave the company the financial strength it needed and it was able to rid itself of the debt burden, while pulling in a new category of shareholders, many of them from humble circumstances.
"One of the lessons I learnt was that if you are not profitable, you can't print the news you want to. Advertisers can become offended and Government is one of your biggest advertisers. If you have to print something unfavourable to the Government, life could become very uncomfortable for you," Clarke reflects. He believes that many of the current media entities are not profitable and argues that it is difficult to operate a free press if the entity is not viable.

Michael Manley calls at dawn

The financial problems now behind it, The Gleaner stepped up its role as opposition to the Manley Government. Clarke says he was not happy with the quality of the news output, but Wynter had put together a very strong group of opinion writers, including John Hearne, Wilmot Perkins, David D'Costa and Morris Cargill. "Together they wrote some incredibly strong columns critical of the Government that was becoming too heady in its ambitions." And he confesses: "I grew up in that period."

Michael Manley was seething over The Gleaner's seemingly relentless opposition to his Government, and his anger had reached boiling point. One morning, at 5:00 o'clock, he phoned Clarke and let loose on him. Still groggy from not enough sleep, Clarke received an earful of Manley's forceful language. Many other pre-dawn calls from the prime minister were to follow.

"I used to sit there quite terrified as he harangued me about the sins of the day," Clarke discloses now. "But it taught me a very valuable lesson - that if you are going to lead a newspaper, you have to read that paper and be in a position to deal with complaints. I had to learn how to deal with the prime minister's complaints.

The mistake I later made was not to make the effort to maintain the communication between The Gleaner and the senior politicians in the country. If media is going to have problems with people, it is important that both sides talk to each other. But of course, I was young at the time." It wasn't over yet.

Next time! Next time!

On a particular Monday morning, the Cabinet meeting was in an angry mood. The Gleaner was the hot topic of discussion and the unflattering language being used to describe the paper was not English.

Manley ended the meeting early, and in a sombre tone, made the unprecedented announcement that he would lead a protest march on the Gleaner Company! In broiling sun, the marchers meandered through the streets of the capital city and by the time they reached 7 North Street, home of The Gleaner, their numbers had swelled far beyond the relative handful of Cabinet ministers.

The Gleaner's gate was uncharacteristically shut in the middle of the day and police kept a nervous watch over the demonstrators. An open-back flatbed truck was transformed into a stage. From that makeshift platform, Manley, in dramatic style issued a solemn, chilling warning to The Gleaner: "Next time! Next time!" That was immediately interpreted to mean that after the PNP had won the coming 1980 elections, The Gleaner would be dealt with decisively.

As it turned out, the PNP was trounced by Seaga's JLP in the October 30, 1980 general elections and a conservative Government came to power. The Gleaner settled back into its customary run-of-the-mill pace and Clarke resumed his principal role of managing director and now chairman of the Gleaner Company, as well as its largest shareholder. And to think he had twice refused the job when Ashenheim had first offered it to him!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=next+time+nextime%2C+jamaica+observer

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Gleaner newspaper quickly established itself as a sort of opposition to Manley's socialism, branding it communism in sheep's clothing and decidedly earning the ire of the progressive forces.

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be interesting to read articles from back then and see how they compare to today's press.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are available.
I used to read the all the newspapers daily.
The articles were beautifully written and to the point.

The main writers for the gleaner were:
Wilmot Perkins
Dawn Rich
Morris Cargil
John Herne

They were journalists and beat writers, not mere political hacks masquerading as journalists.

[Blackstar*]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

I guess he's waiting to become PM so when he says something, things get done. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
The placard bearing residents say they have made several attempts to meet with their Member of Parliament, Patrick Harris, but to no avail.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is a a damned shame. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70361-embarassed.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

[ QUOTE ]
I guess he's waiting to become PM so when he says something, things get done. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
The placard bearing residents say they have made several attempts to meet with their Member of Parliament, Patrick Harris, but to no avail.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is a a damned shame. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70361-embarassed.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Well PSM has given every MHR or public official an excuse to do nothing.....aah doan have di powa, I am not the PM.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Gleaner newspaper quickly established itself as a sort of opposition to Manley's socialism, branding it communism in sheep's clothing and decidedly earning the ire of the progressive forces.

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be interesting to read articles from back then and see how they compare to today's press.

[/ QUOTE ]
Go to the Gleaner archives. Reading it there will remind you of some of the posters posters on here. Totally lacking of objectivity,especially at the time they were the only print media for most of the time.
Not to mention staged pictures published as real.
The recent publishing of the pics after the military take over in thailand reminds me of those staged pictures.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Gleaner newspaper quickly established itself as a sort of opposition to Manley's socialism, branding it communism in sheep's clothing and decidedly earning the ire of the progressive forces.

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be interesting to read articles from back then and see how they compare to today's press.

[/ QUOTE ]
Go to the Gleaner archives. Reading it there will remind you of some of the posters posters on here. Totally lacking of objectivity,especially at the time they were the only print media for most of the time.
Not to mention staged pictures published as real.
The recent publishing of the pics after the military take over in thailand reminds me of those staged pictures.

[/ QUOTE ]

Give us some specifics.
What posters?
What comment(s) did each make and on what?
What pictures?

So you are holding yourself up to be what?
You are making bold statements about whom Phantom Members, Phantom Posts, Phantom Pictures?

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Gleaner newspaper quickly established itself as a sort of opposition to Manley's socialism, branding it communism in sheep's clothing and decidedly earning the ire of the progressive forces.

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be interesting to read articles from back then and see how they compare to today's press.

[/ QUOTE ]
Go to the Gleaner archives. Reading it there will remind you of some of the posters posters on here. Totally lacking of objectivity,especially at the time they were the only print media for most of the time.
Not to mention staged pictures published as real.
The recent publishing of the pics after the military take over in thailand reminds me of those staged pictures.

[/ QUOTE ]

Give us some specifics.
What posters?
What comment(s) did each make and on what?
What pictures?

So you are holding yourself up to be what?
You are making bold statements about whom Phantom Members, Phantom Posts, Phantom Pictures?

[/ QUOTE ]
Mi tro rackstone ina hag pen,the wan weh ball out a him it lick. Mi tro mi cawn mi no call no fowl.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Gleaner newspaper quickly established itself as a sort of opposition to Manley's socialism, branding it communism in sheep's clothing and decidedly earning the ire of the progressive forces.

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be interesting to read articles from back then and see how they compare to today's press.

[/ QUOTE ]
Go to the Gleaner archives. Reading it there will remind you of some of the posters posters on here. Totally lacking of objectivity,especially at the time they were the only print media for most of the time.
Not to mention staged pictures published as real.
The recent publishing of the pics after the military take over in thailand reminds me of those staged pictures.

[/ QUOTE ]

Give us some specifics.
What posters?
What comment(s) did each make and on what?
What pictures?

So you are holding yourself up to be what?
You are making bold statements about whom Phantom Members, Phantom Posts, Phantom Pictures?

[/ QUOTE ]
Mi tro rackstone ina hag pen,the wan weh ball out a him it lick. Mi tro mi cawn mi no call no fowl.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay Swine if that what you call yourself because what you have said applied most to you than any poster on this board.

I am happy you have supplied to the board your full name so from hence forth I will legally be able to you:

Dr. Dumb Hog!

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Gleaner newspaper quickly established itself as a sort of opposition to Manley's socialism, branding it communism in sheep's clothing and decidedly earning the ire of the progressive forces.

[/ QUOTE ] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

It would be interesting to read articles from back then and see how they compare to today's press.

[/ QUOTE ]
Go to the Gleaner archives. Reading it there will remind you of some of the posters posters on here. Totally lacking of objectivity,especially at the time they were the only print media for most of the time.
Not to mention staged pictures published as real.
The recent publishing of the pics after the military take over in thailand reminds me of those staged pictures.

[/ QUOTE ]

Give us some specifics.
What posters?
What comment(s) did each make and on what?
What pictures?

So you are holding yourself up to be what?
You are making bold statements about whom Phantom Members, Phantom Posts, Phantom Pictures?

[/ QUOTE ]
Mi tro rackstone ina hag pen,the wan weh ball out a him it lick. Mi tro mi cawn mi no call no fowl.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay Swine if that what you call yourself because what you have said applied most to you than any poster on this board.

I am happy you have supplied to the board your full name so from hence forth I will legally be able to you:

Dr. Dumb Hog!

[/ QUOTE ] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica


This is what happen when you chat too much Jamaica:

<u>Article #1</u>

JLP links with Sonia Christie
As the Trafigura Beheer scandal gathers momentum, information has surfaced linking FirstCaribbean International Bank senior executive, Sonia Christie, to the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party.

The Sunday Herald has learnt that Christie was a member of Opposition Member of Parliament for North Central Clarendon Pearnel Charles’ finance committee in the 2002 general elections.

During the period leading up to the elections, she attended several meetings at Charles’ house.
Since then, sources say, Christie continues to be politically active. She is related to Charles’ cousin, Fitz Christie, who is the deputy mayor of Falmouth. She is also said to be related to Charles’ sister, Lorna Golding, wife of Opposition Leader Bruce Golding.

In a telephone interview yesterday, the deputy mayor declined to say if Sonia is his wife.
“I’m not confirming anything,” Christie said.


Threats
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas confirmed yesterday that the police have initiated investigations into the alleged breach of the Banking Act.

“Senior officers from the Fraud Sqaud and the Criminal Investigations Branch have been alerted to look into the matter, Thomas said yesterday.

Section 45 of the Act states that, “no official of any bank and no person who, by reason of his capacity or office has by any means access to the records of the bank, or any registers, correspondence or material with regard to the account of any customer of that bank shall, while his employment in or as the case may be, his professional relationship with the bank continues or after the termination thereof, give, divulge, or reveal any information regarding the money or other relevant particulars of the account of that customer.”

It is not clear if Christie, who was sent on three days leave to facilitate the probe into how confidential information on a People’s National Party account was leaked to the Jamaica Labour Party, has been implicated.

Word from the JLP camp is that the party was busy trying to ferret out additional information relating to other accounts where large deposits were made on behalf of the PNP.

Apart from the investigations, the scandal has sparked more problems for the bank. Yesterday, the Sunday Herald was reliably informed that employees of bank are currently working in fear after receiving threats from persons believed to be political enforcers linked to the PNP.

Account closed
Information leaked to the JLP indicated that the ruling PNP received $31 million from the Dutch-based oil trader Trafigura Beheer between September 6 and 10, just days before its contract with the state-owned Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) was renewed. These funds were used the finance the PNP’s 68th annual conference, which attracted over 30,000 supporters.

The donation was made to an account captioned CCOC, which was opened to raise funds for Information and Development Minister Colin Campbell when he entered representational politics in 1992. The account, which was not closed after Campbell was elected, is currently being used to mobilise funding for the PNP’s election campaign.

Last week, the PNP closed the account noting that donors no longer had the confidence that their contributions to the account would be kept confidential. Campbell, however, supported the bank’s release that depositors need not worry about the confidentiality of their transactions with the bank because of the current “one–off” breach.

http://www.jamaicans.com/forums/newreply...part=3&amp;vc=1

<u>Article #2</u>

Blair threatened
By Kimmo Matthews

The police are probing reports that the head of the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), Bishop Herro Blair, was threatened.

Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas declined to give details, but admitted that the police were aware of a letter sent to the bishop accusing him of acting in a partisan way and warning him that something could happen to him.

The Sunday Herald learnt that the political ombudsman received the letter after he expressed his disagreement with a move by Jamaica Labour Party dons in the Mountain View area to put up barriers to separate communities. All the contents in the letter were not ascertained, but sources said that derogatory terms were used to describe the bishop and threats were issued.

Speaking from overseas yesterday, Bishop Blair neither confirmed nor denied the allegations. He said, however, that he was not in the island and would not speak on the matter until he returned.

“I am not in the island at this time and I will not make any comment until I return in a few days,” Blair said.

A few weeks ago, the PMI, as part of its efforts to reduce political tension in West Central St. Andrew, carried out a peace march, which failed miserably as tensions rose between political representatives.

Jamaica Labour Party representative, Andrew Holness, at the time refused to shake the hand of the bishop and efforts to get the representatives from the two major political parties to walk side by side in the warring community were unsuccessful.

The tour started on Cling Cling Avenue where JLP supporters held placards bearing uncomplimentary statements about PNP representative, Patrick Roberts.

Holness, when approached by Bishop Blair, refused to shake his hand. He charged that the PMI was not dealing with breaches of the Political Code of Conduct by his opponent.

The bishop, in an interview with reporters, said that this was his worst experience at a peace initiative in his four years as political ombudsman.

The political ombudsman subsequently moved his tour to North West St. Andrew where there were fears that political violence was about to explode in the community of Marverly. Mr. Holness has since apologised to the bishop.

http://www.sunheraldjamaica.com/coverstory3.htm

[evanovitch]

Re: Political Discourse in Jamaica

[ QUOTE ]

This is what happen when you chat too much Jamaica:

<u>Article #1</u>

JLP links with Sonia Christie
As the Trafigura Beheer scandal gathers momentum, information has surfaced linking FirstCaribbean International Bank senior executive, Sonia Christie, to the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party.

The Sunday Herald has learnt that Christie was a member of Opposition Member of Parliament for North Central Clarendon Pearnel Charles’ finance committee in the 2002 general elections.

During the period leading up to the elections, she attended several meetings at Charles’ house.
Since then, sources say, Christie continues to be politically active. She is related to Charles’ cousin, Fitz Christie, who is the deputy mayor of Falmouth. She is also said to be related to Charles’ sister, Lorna Golding, wife of Opposition Leader Bruce Golding.

In a telephone interview yesterday, the deputy mayor declined to say if Sonia is his wife.
“I’m not confirming anything,” Christie said.


Threats
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas confirmed yesterday that the police have initiated investigations into the alleged breach of the Banking Act.

“Senior officers from the Fraud Sqaud and the Criminal Investigations Branch have been alerted to look into the matter, Thomas said yesterday.

Section 45 of the Act states that, “no official of any bank and no person who, by reason of his capacity or office has by any means access to the records of the bank, or any registers, correspondence or material with regard to the account of any customer of that bank shall, while his employment in or as the case may be, his professional relationship with the bank continues or after the termination thereof, give, divulge, or reveal any information regarding the money or other relevant particulars of the account of that customer.”

It is not clear if Christie, who was sent on three days leave to facilitate the probe into how confidential information on a People’s National Party account was leaked to the Jamaica Labour Party, has been implicated.

Word from the JLP camp is that the party was busy trying to ferret out additional information relating to other accounts where large deposits were made on behalf of the PNP.

Apart from the investigations, the scandal has sparked more problems for the bank. Yesterday, the Sunday Herald was reliably informed that employees of bank are currently working in fear after receiving threats from persons believed to be political enforcers linked to the PNP.

Account closed
Information leaked to the JLP indicated that the ruling PNP received $31 million from the Dutch-based oil trader Trafigura Beheer between September 6 and 10, just days before its contract with the state-owned Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) was renewed. These funds were used the finance the PNP’s 68th annual conference, which attracted over 30,000 supporters.

The donation was made to an account captioned CCOC, which was opened to raise funds for Information and Development Minister Colin Campbell when he entered representational politics in 1992. The account, which was not closed after Campbell was elected, is currently being used to mobilise funding for the PNP’s election campaign.

Last week, the PNP closed the account noting that donors no longer had the confidence that their contributions to the account would be kept confidential. Campbell, however, supported the bank’s release that depositors need not worry about the confidentiality of their transactions with the bank because of the current “one–off” breach.

http://www.jamaicans.com/forums/newreply...part=3&amp;vc=1

<u>Article #2</u>

Blair threatened
By Kimmo Matthews

The police are probing reports that the head of the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), Bishop Herro Blair, was threatened.

Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas declined to give details, but admitted that the police were aware of a letter sent to the bishop accusing him of acting in a partisan way and warning him that something could happen to him.

The Sunday Herald learnt that the political ombudsman received the letter after he expressed his disagreement with a move by Jamaica Labour Party dons in the Mountain View area to put up barriers to separate communities. All the contents in the letter were not ascertained, but sources said that derogatory terms were used to describe the bishop and threats were issued.

Speaking from overseas yesterday, Bishop Blair neither confirmed nor denied the allegations. He said, however, that he was not in the island and would not speak on the matter until he returned.

“I am not in the island at this time and I will not make any comment until I return in a few days,” Blair said.

A few weeks ago, the PMI, as part of its efforts to reduce political tension in West Central St. Andrew, carried out a peace march, which failed miserably as tensions rose between political representatives.

Jamaica Labour Party representative, Andrew Holness, at the time refused to shake the hand of the bishop and efforts to get the representatives from the two major political parties to walk side by side in the warring community were unsuccessful.

The tour started on Cling Cling Avenue where JLP supporters held placards bearing uncomplimentary statements about PNP representative, Patrick Roberts.

Holness, when approached by Bishop Blair, refused to shake his hand. He charged that the PMI was not dealing with breaches of the Political Code of Conduct by his opponent.

The bishop, in an interview with reporters, said that this was his worst experience at a peace initiative in his four years as political ombudsman.

The political ombudsman subsequently moved his tour to North West St. Andrew where there were fears that political violence was about to explode in the community of Marverly. Mr. Holness has since apologised to the bishop.

http://www.sunheraldjamaica.com/coverstory3.htm

[/ QUOTE ]

the lady's action is questionable as it relates to har job...but den again, is not like di info is wrong..an which is worse...weh seh do or weh dem do

an did the bank fill out the forms reporting this to the powers regarding ova 10000 dolla deposits

so is not dat she do it..but is dat she a labourite an do it...mek dem gweh wid dem fawt

so dem a shoot di messenger but mek di message, di troot , awful an illegal as it is , go fawud unpunished...but punish di messenger

an dem a go use har as di example fi alll who dare to mek wat go awn in di dark come to light, RATHER , than stop do wrangniss eena dark [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70400-talktohand.gif[/img]
an as fi di parson, him need a reality chek

big big parson an him a behave juss like Holness...

so Holness show him lak of broughtupsy BUT him still come bak an offa him hand...

YET di big Parson who preach forgive, and setting di example, and turning di odda cheek, not to mention his position as building bridges, him coulden draw pon him teachings an offa him hand

no, him coulden cause him was tooooo self important

dis why all dem initiatives tun out to be a big joke

cause wen it come down to it, di personality of the person, cannot be subdued to the right thing to do

him need fi go eena him prayer closet and pray bout him lapse of humility and teaching by example

gweh wid him