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Golding's practical stance on victimisation
WIGNALL'S WORLD
Mark Wignall
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Jamaicaobserver.com
In some quarters in the six-month-old JLP government the true mettle of Prime Minister Golding is being severely tested.
Where there are JLP tribalists who happen to believe that it is 'fi dem time now', the prime minister has been forced to use the heavy boots on his feet to crush the idiots into submission.
In one instance that I know of, a man (an open supporter of the JLP but no activist) complained to me that an entity in which he was involved (from the time of the PNP) attracted the attention of JLP 'grabbers and nyammers' immediately after the election, and in quick time they decided to move in on his territory and put in place a JLP activist.
He wrote to me and sought my assistance in righting the terrible wrong. I e-mailed the prime minister, forwarded to him the man's concerns and figured that as power goes, that is all I could do. I expected to hear nothing from a newly installed PM overwhelmed by pressing domestic and international matters.
To my surprise the prime minister responded to me in five hours! But that was not the end of the matter. From information reaching me via other sources, after the prime minister had issued instructions that if the man was legally placed, nothing ought to dislodge him as long as he performed and met all of the requirements expected, the tribalists still insisted that they wanted to place their activist friend in the post. The prime minister got wind of it and the skies opened!
As one person said, 'Bruce tell dem a string a wud and let dem know that he will not stand for this kind of behaviour and that his instructions must be followed or heads will roll.'
Good going, prime minister Golding.
THE PNP MUST DITCH PORTIA SOON, IF NOT BEFORE
Political leadership expressed mostly with style devoid of any discernible substance, bombast appealing to a convenient fad, and hugs and kisses will hold sway among the ignorant, and it will for a time, take in even those designated 'the educated elite'.
But without results it will fall flat, and it is then that those who were earlier taken in will express their sentiments with the utmost disgust and venom. Most of this disgust is self-directed and is in essence a flaying of what is seen as one's personal judgement. Even those who express their opinion in the public domain, when pressed for that nebulous goal known as 'objectivity,' will themselves reveal a human side-that ease with which we deprecate those leaders who had failed to deliver on the pre-game posturing.
Not only did Portia Simpson Miller as prime minister move from an unprecedented 78% approval rating in February 2006 poll findings to an election loss in September 2007, along the way she revealed staggering amounts of poor political judgement, a shocking and embarrassing unfamiliarity with key policy issues, an inability to articulate even in general terms and a disconcerting comfort with ineptitude.
She cannot at this stage selectively distance herself from what has recently descended on the PNP. She was there in the midst of the internal divisions wooing the young, the uninitiated and the energetic over to the side of the 'yellow' team, her team.
With Trafigura looming as a swinging blade, inching closer and closer to the throat of the PNP, she needs to cut loose from the party and give it time to reflect on a glory it once had in the days prior to the 1970s.
Prime Minister Golding has made it clear, by more than words, that he has no intention of leading a party that will go down in history as the one which took over from the PNP, harshly criticised it then continued the PNP's orgy of corruption behind the scenes.
In the PNP, the only persons who seem to be able to make any sensible inputs to the prime minister's savvy presentations in the House are Drs Peter Phillips and Omar Davies. At one stage while watching television, I saw Opposition leader Portia Simpson Miller actually shake her head in disagreement at something the PM said. But that was it. No engagement of her vocal cords. On second thought, based on recent history, she may have done the right thing.
No organisation, political or otherwise, can continue in this stupid, 'dibby-dibby' fashion with a leader who cannot lead, who can be easily led by those whom she is pretending to lead and with an entire nation being dragged along, paying her for this poor leadership while she pretends she is leading the PNP. That is a scandalous state of affairs, but somehow the PNP, or the bits and pieces of it that her 'leadership' created, retreats further and further into denial even as many more axe-men cometh.
At this stage the only viable leader in the PNP is the man whom I harshly criticised in 2006 even as I was extolling the 'virtues' of Portia Simpson Miller. He is Peter Phillips. With my assistance and the help of others, he was rudely sidestepped in that experiment which occupied the time between February 2006 and September 2007.
In the mix, something blew up in the lab and in our faces and we are still reeling from the smell of rotten eggs and our political blunders.
The PNP needs a new leader and even now, plans must be set in motion for the PNP conference in September 2008. It cannot come too soon.
PAULA LLEWELLYN WOULD MAKE A SUPERB DPP
I have never met her, but it is common knowledge that it was Paula Llewellyn's superb work in many cases which earned the term 'landmark' which took the DPP's office to success in prosecution.
In Jamaica, especially given recent happenings with the former Public Services Commission in recommending Stephen Vasciannie as solicitor general, there will always be rumblings in reference to the politics of the moment.
Before I go further, let me state without casting aspersions on any member of the recently departed Public Services Commission, that it has been my experience that Dr Alfred Sangster who was a member has always exhibited the highest ideals of what I call citizenship. It is a great pity that in making decisions at this level, a most decent and truly honourable man such as Alfred Sangster should have been cast out in the wash. I am assuming that behind the scenes those in authority met with him and expressed the true position.
Back to Ms Llewellyn. Once I decided to write a piece on her I asked around. I spoke with some persons close to the courts, the police, inside the DPP's office and among politicians of various hues. My question was, 'Quite apart from Paula Llewellyn's competence and sharpness in prosecuting cases, has she ever demonstrated a tendency towards a political party?'
Most persons were caught off guard by the question. The standard response went like along the lines of, "You know, I have never thought about it because she is all work."
One man said quite rightly that my question was leading in regards to her competence, but had to agree that she is the person most qualified at this time to become the DPP.
In the infamous Crawle case when the then Crime Management Unit was accused of murdering four persons, the PNP government brought in from the Virgin Islands Terrence Williams, son of former JLP mayor Everald Williams, presently the DPP there. Williams and by extension the government were unsuccessful.
When Matthews Lane strongman Donald 'Zeeks' Phipps, a man with more than notional attachment to the PNP, was charged with murders, it was Paula Llewellyn who prosecuted the case. And we all know the results. Zeeks was found guilty and put away in prison in 2006.
What may not be known to many is that it was the first case in Jamaica to use what is known as 'cellular site technology' to make a successful prosecution.
It is my understanding that some persons have been supporting the idea of Terrence Williams for DPP. That is their right, but if we recall, he was that lawyer who years ago was so intimidated by the then Chief Justice Lensely Wolfe that he handed over his client's brief to the chief justice in court. Most legal persons were stunned beyond belief!
With almost 25 years experience as a litigator and having a working knowledge of the DPP's office, Ms Llewellyn was the prosecutor in 1997 (Bernard Chang) who pioneered the use of DNA technology in criminal trials. She also prosecuted a case in 1999 which pioneered the concept of terrorism consequent on the Amendment to the offences Against the Person Act (Leroy Lamey).
If someone is more qualified than the lady, let them step forward. She is bright, tough, experienced, has no party political connections, and she is here.
ONE QUESTION (AMONG MANY) FOR DR JEAN DIXON
In the days of old when permanent secretaries had more 'career' permanence, less heavy academic qualifications and were veritable thorns in the sides of ministers of government, some of whom thought they were gods, the term 'chief financial officer' had real clout.
This is not to say that Dr Jean Dixon PhD, MBA, BSc, (wow!) who was permanent secretary in the ministry at the same time that she was a board member of PCJ, which was also during the time of the Cuban light bulb distribution project, is any less of a professional.
As someone who has had more than a nodding acquaintance with the PNP government, Dr Dixon is permanent secretary on contract, the second since 2001.
On pages 47/48 of the contractor general's report, May 15, 2006, Dr Ruth Potopsingh, head of PCJ writes to Dr Jean Dixon in her capacity as permanent secretary in the Ministry of ITEC. "With the expansion of the project from a pilot to an island-wide project, it is necessary that a plan be put in place to execute this."
The contractor general's report goes further. 'The letter from Dr Ruth Potopsingh further stated that ". we would appreciate details from your ministry of the expectations of the PCJ in implementing this expanded project." However, the OCG has seen no written evidence that Dr Jean Dixon replied to Dr Ruth Potopsingh's request.
This was long before the light bulb project became broken. Dr Dixon, why was there no response to this letter?
[email protected]
WIGNALL'S WORLD
Mark Wignall
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Jamaicaobserver.com
In some quarters in the six-month-old JLP government the true mettle of Prime Minister Golding is being severely tested.
Where there are JLP tribalists who happen to believe that it is 'fi dem time now', the prime minister has been forced to use the heavy boots on his feet to crush the idiots into submission.
In one instance that I know of, a man (an open supporter of the JLP but no activist) complained to me that an entity in which he was involved (from the time of the PNP) attracted the attention of JLP 'grabbers and nyammers' immediately after the election, and in quick time they decided to move in on his territory and put in place a JLP activist.
He wrote to me and sought my assistance in righting the terrible wrong. I e-mailed the prime minister, forwarded to him the man's concerns and figured that as power goes, that is all I could do. I expected to hear nothing from a newly installed PM overwhelmed by pressing domestic and international matters.
To my surprise the prime minister responded to me in five hours! But that was not the end of the matter. From information reaching me via other sources, after the prime minister had issued instructions that if the man was legally placed, nothing ought to dislodge him as long as he performed and met all of the requirements expected, the tribalists still insisted that they wanted to place their activist friend in the post. The prime minister got wind of it and the skies opened!
As one person said, 'Bruce tell dem a string a wud and let dem know that he will not stand for this kind of behaviour and that his instructions must be followed or heads will roll.'
Good going, prime minister Golding.
THE PNP MUST DITCH PORTIA SOON, IF NOT BEFORE
Political leadership expressed mostly with style devoid of any discernible substance, bombast appealing to a convenient fad, and hugs and kisses will hold sway among the ignorant, and it will for a time, take in even those designated 'the educated elite'.
But without results it will fall flat, and it is then that those who were earlier taken in will express their sentiments with the utmost disgust and venom. Most of this disgust is self-directed and is in essence a flaying of what is seen as one's personal judgement. Even those who express their opinion in the public domain, when pressed for that nebulous goal known as 'objectivity,' will themselves reveal a human side-that ease with which we deprecate those leaders who had failed to deliver on the pre-game posturing.
Not only did Portia Simpson Miller as prime minister move from an unprecedented 78% approval rating in February 2006 poll findings to an election loss in September 2007, along the way she revealed staggering amounts of poor political judgement, a shocking and embarrassing unfamiliarity with key policy issues, an inability to articulate even in general terms and a disconcerting comfort with ineptitude.
She cannot at this stage selectively distance herself from what has recently descended on the PNP. She was there in the midst of the internal divisions wooing the young, the uninitiated and the energetic over to the side of the 'yellow' team, her team.
With Trafigura looming as a swinging blade, inching closer and closer to the throat of the PNP, she needs to cut loose from the party and give it time to reflect on a glory it once had in the days prior to the 1970s.
Prime Minister Golding has made it clear, by more than words, that he has no intention of leading a party that will go down in history as the one which took over from the PNP, harshly criticised it then continued the PNP's orgy of corruption behind the scenes.
In the PNP, the only persons who seem to be able to make any sensible inputs to the prime minister's savvy presentations in the House are Drs Peter Phillips and Omar Davies. At one stage while watching television, I saw Opposition leader Portia Simpson Miller actually shake her head in disagreement at something the PM said. But that was it. No engagement of her vocal cords. On second thought, based on recent history, she may have done the right thing.
No organisation, political or otherwise, can continue in this stupid, 'dibby-dibby' fashion with a leader who cannot lead, who can be easily led by those whom she is pretending to lead and with an entire nation being dragged along, paying her for this poor leadership while she pretends she is leading the PNP. That is a scandalous state of affairs, but somehow the PNP, or the bits and pieces of it that her 'leadership' created, retreats further and further into denial even as many more axe-men cometh.
At this stage the only viable leader in the PNP is the man whom I harshly criticised in 2006 even as I was extolling the 'virtues' of Portia Simpson Miller. He is Peter Phillips. With my assistance and the help of others, he was rudely sidestepped in that experiment which occupied the time between February 2006 and September 2007.
In the mix, something blew up in the lab and in our faces and we are still reeling from the smell of rotten eggs and our political blunders.
The PNP needs a new leader and even now, plans must be set in motion for the PNP conference in September 2008. It cannot come too soon.
PAULA LLEWELLYN WOULD MAKE A SUPERB DPP
I have never met her, but it is common knowledge that it was Paula Llewellyn's superb work in many cases which earned the term 'landmark' which took the DPP's office to success in prosecution.
In Jamaica, especially given recent happenings with the former Public Services Commission in recommending Stephen Vasciannie as solicitor general, there will always be rumblings in reference to the politics of the moment.
Before I go further, let me state without casting aspersions on any member of the recently departed Public Services Commission, that it has been my experience that Dr Alfred Sangster who was a member has always exhibited the highest ideals of what I call citizenship. It is a great pity that in making decisions at this level, a most decent and truly honourable man such as Alfred Sangster should have been cast out in the wash. I am assuming that behind the scenes those in authority met with him and expressed the true position.
Back to Ms Llewellyn. Once I decided to write a piece on her I asked around. I spoke with some persons close to the courts, the police, inside the DPP's office and among politicians of various hues. My question was, 'Quite apart from Paula Llewellyn's competence and sharpness in prosecuting cases, has she ever demonstrated a tendency towards a political party?'
Most persons were caught off guard by the question. The standard response went like along the lines of, "You know, I have never thought about it because she is all work."
One man said quite rightly that my question was leading in regards to her competence, but had to agree that she is the person most qualified at this time to become the DPP.
In the infamous Crawle case when the then Crime Management Unit was accused of murdering four persons, the PNP government brought in from the Virgin Islands Terrence Williams, son of former JLP mayor Everald Williams, presently the DPP there. Williams and by extension the government were unsuccessful.
When Matthews Lane strongman Donald 'Zeeks' Phipps, a man with more than notional attachment to the PNP, was charged with murders, it was Paula Llewellyn who prosecuted the case. And we all know the results. Zeeks was found guilty and put away in prison in 2006.
What may not be known to many is that it was the first case in Jamaica to use what is known as 'cellular site technology' to make a successful prosecution.
It is my understanding that some persons have been supporting the idea of Terrence Williams for DPP. That is their right, but if we recall, he was that lawyer who years ago was so intimidated by the then Chief Justice Lensely Wolfe that he handed over his client's brief to the chief justice in court. Most legal persons were stunned beyond belief!
With almost 25 years experience as a litigator and having a working knowledge of the DPP's office, Ms Llewellyn was the prosecutor in 1997 (Bernard Chang) who pioneered the use of DNA technology in criminal trials. She also prosecuted a case in 1999 which pioneered the concept of terrorism consequent on the Amendment to the offences Against the Person Act (Leroy Lamey).
If someone is more qualified than the lady, let them step forward. She is bright, tough, experienced, has no party political connections, and she is here.
ONE QUESTION (AMONG MANY) FOR DR JEAN DIXON
In the days of old when permanent secretaries had more 'career' permanence, less heavy academic qualifications and were veritable thorns in the sides of ministers of government, some of whom thought they were gods, the term 'chief financial officer' had real clout.
This is not to say that Dr Jean Dixon PhD, MBA, BSc, (wow!) who was permanent secretary in the ministry at the same time that she was a board member of PCJ, which was also during the time of the Cuban light bulb distribution project, is any less of a professional.
As someone who has had more than a nodding acquaintance with the PNP government, Dr Dixon is permanent secretary on contract, the second since 2001.
On pages 47/48 of the contractor general's report, May 15, 2006, Dr Ruth Potopsingh, head of PCJ writes to Dr Jean Dixon in her capacity as permanent secretary in the Ministry of ITEC. "With the expansion of the project from a pilot to an island-wide project, it is necessary that a plan be put in place to execute this."
The contractor general's report goes further. 'The letter from Dr Ruth Potopsingh further stated that ". we would appreciate details from your ministry of the expectations of the PCJ in implementing this expanded project." However, the OCG has seen no written evidence that Dr Jean Dixon replied to Dr Ruth Potopsingh's request.
This was long before the light bulb project became broken. Dr Dixon, why was there no response to this letter?
[email protected]