JO - Flying first-class into the storm

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

Flying first-class into the storm


BARBARA GLOUDON


Friday, April 09, 2010


BUJU...BOUNTY...BEENIE...Iconic figures in our contemporary music kingdom... and they all have their problems. Buju, starving in a Florida jail...Bounty and Beenie, stripped of the privilege to travel to their richest market, for reasons not revealed to their fans. Is this a new turning point in the Jamaican music industry?
Beenie has hit back with a new single declaring that he might not have visa but he has life - an admirable philosophy but not one which is going to pay the bills to support himself, his tailor, his support crew and all the members of the entourage. The same goes for fellow travellers on the visa road.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Our people revere their entertainers. They've made them stars. If things were to start changing and not for the better, what will these stars do? They have created a special niche for themselves as representatives of JA, regarded as ambassadors of an art form uniquely ours, which has revolutionised the world. When the fans don't come running anymore, what do you do?

THE ECONOMIC FACTOR is major. Whole communities can prosper or taste defeat according to the presence of a star in their community. If Mega Star could no longer travel, what would that mean to those who depend on his presence? The removal of visa privileges will affect that individual, but he is not alone. The earnings of his entourage pay for food at shop, books for school, rent to landlord. We know by now that the Embassy does not, is not obliged to make public its reasons for whatever action it takes. It is left for individuals and community to speculate on what has brought on the disfavour... and there's a lot of speculation at the moment as stars fly first-class into the storm."

JO - Hail to the republic?

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

Hail to the republic?

Lloyd B Smith

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

IT has been said that hindsight is 20/20 vision. Hindsight has to do with the understanding of a situation or event only after it has happened. Bruce Golding is caught in such a pickle with respect to the Dudus (Christopher Coke) affair. In retrospect, Mr Golding should not have yielded to the temptation of being enthroned as the member of parliament for West Kingston (popularly called Tivoli Gardens).

Read the whole column here.

Snippet(s):

"(T)he JLP, perhaps for the first time in its long, illustrious history, has found itself at odds with Jamaica's and its greatest ally, the United States of America! It must be remembered that while the leftist People's National Party has been known in the past to adopt a certain anti-American stance, especially during the height of the Cold War (think Cuba and Fidel Castro), the JLP was always totally in the bosom of Uncle Sam. Indeed, many decades ago when its maximum leader and founder Sir Alexander Bustamante was asked by reporters what was the JLP's foreign policy, he quipped, “We are with the West!” This in essence meant that the JLP was with the USA, the bastion of western civilisation, democracy and civilisation."

"(A)s colleague columnist Mark Wignall outlined in his Sunday Observer article, there is likely to be a major social fallout (and perhaps economic too), if Dudus Coke, the Big Man, is extradited to the United States. But outside of this likely outcome, there are also serious implications for the ruling JLP whose leader could well be declared persona non grata in his own constituency if he should be party to such a perceived collusion with the US State Department."

&

"In the meantime, the political fallout has begun, with many Jamaicans feeling that they will not be able to get a US visa or the one they have may be terminated. One youth man last week declared to me in a most chagrined mood that he was not going to bother to go the US Embassy because he knows he will not get a visa. Meanwhile, many Jamaicans from all walks of life will be approaching their travel to the USA with great trepidation as they will hear that their visa has been cancelled only when they arrive at the airport to board a flight. Blame it on Bruce? The US State Department has so far denied any such linkage, but in politics perception can break or make you."

JO - Clarity, Corruption and Censure

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

Clarity, Corruption and Censure

James Moss-Solomon


Sunday, March 07, 2010


"OH, what a tangled web we weave!" The Daily Observer of Wednesday, March 3 in its headline claims "PM Stares Down US", and the Gleaner headline of the same day says "Dudus defence". The situation has started to get out of hand and several innuendos have been made, although no one has directly pointed any fingers. The usual lawyers, both locally and overseas, have weighed in on the matter on the talk shows, and as predicted they have not been precise in their comments. On one hand they say 'this', and on the other hand they say 'that'. That has been my concern with lawyers in government; they argue like hell, but fail to take decisive positions or actions.

Read the whole column here.

Snippet(s):

"The element of corruption in Government as stated by the supreme spin doctors, the United States, would also have been resisted. As it is now, any defence under the rights of citizens within the extradition treaty has been reduced to a discussion of the levels of corruption within the Government by their dealings with a single individual. The entire ruling party has now been placed under a cloak of suspicion, which will again cause the rumour mills to churn. Already it is being said that the visas of prominent Jamaicans are being cancelled as an act of "revenge" by the government of the United States.

I have no doubt that in other circumstances the USA has taken action based on rumours, but we are such small fish that we should not attribute it to revenge. Let's face it, we are no bin Laden, neither do we possess any "weapons of mass destruction". We can hardly manage our own criminals, let alone a war. So in the final analysis, our lack of clarity has led to the accusations of vast corruption in the Government."

&

"The events have opened us up to the realities of censure by the United States Government. The annual reports to Congress are a requirement which I believe started in earnest following the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. Under their concept of "sovereignty" they are able to take a wide range of punitive actions on what they believe to be non-compliant with their policies. These measures range from a slap on the wrist, prohibition of airlines accessing their airspace or ships sailing in their territorial waters, trade sanctions, breaking of diplomatic relations, to perhaps even a declaration of war."

JO - CANCELLED US VISAS FOR SIZZLA, BEENIE, BOUNTY, MAVADO, AIDONIA - WHO NEXT?

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

Cancelled US visas for Sizzla, Beenie, Bounty, Mavado, Aidonia — Who next?

Monday Musings
with Yasmin

Monday, April 05, 2010

The recent cancellation of US visas of the abovementioned artistes (except for Sizzla, in whose case the cancellation was not recent, as the visa was revoked in 1998) sent shock waves throughout and outside of the music fraternity, as many wonder who will be the next victim.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"At first glance it seems to have been done in an almost callous way and this is surely cause for concern. An email advisory was sent to all the airlines who carry passengers to the US with the instructions not to board the artistes as their visas were in the process of being revoked. The artistes themselves claim they had no knowledge that that such a move was afoot and the US embassy, as expected, has no comment, as this is a matter between them and the individual artiste."

"However, is this to be seen as an advisory, pending some investigation on the embassy's part and at the end of the day a second advisory will be issued to countermand the first?"

"(T)he visas of four of the top dancehall acts were "in the process of being revoked"."

"The artistes had both their work permits and the visitor's visa revoked and the fact is that most artistes use the US as a hub. Without a visitor's visa they are now unable to use Miami as a connection port into other parts of the world. Artistes, like it or not, also have entourages and numerous persons to take care of. These artistes are among the top earners and shutting them down will certainly affect more than just them and their immediate families."

"Many are asking why and why now? It is felt that the stand-off between Washington and Kingston is playing a role in this unfolding saga."

&

"According to Roberts, in all his 17 years of managing Beenie Man, he has never had a visa issue with the US government. "We have always had our work permits renewed without any problems," he emphasised.

And, as the artistes grapple with the way forward, Beenie Man has already released a visa song which will no doubt strike a responsive chord with all and sundry."

JO - There is more than one way to skin a cat

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

There is more than one way to skin a cat

Sunday, April 04, 2010

A few days ago, at the opening of the US Embassy's consular office in Montego Bay, the point was made that the great northern power considers Jamaica a friend.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Not a word would the American officials let slip about any possible impact that Prime Minister Bruce Golding's handling of the extradition request for his friend, Mr Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, might have on the relationship between both countries."

"According to Vice-Consul David Stone, some 120,000 visas are issued per year, way more than the number of visas that are cancelled.

This, coupled with the fact that the Embassy has spent a pretty penny on infrastructure within the past three years, is, according to Embassy officials, indicative of their intentions to maintain strong relations with Jamaica."

"Mr Stone's explanation that the small number of visas that are cancelled on a yearly basis are done so for reasons that are personal and unique to the individuals, is perfectly plausible.

But it would be nothing short of simplistic to twin the local presence of the US with the supposition that the 'Dudus' issue is one that we can afford to sustain in its current format.

Never mind the broad smiles and assurances of the Americans. They know, as do we, that there is more than one way to skin a cat.

There's no need to close down embassies or pull out of Jamaica over this issue. We are, after all, talking about one man... 33, counting Mr Golding and his team."

&

"No undiplomatic venting, no inappropriate scenes, just a systematic unveiling of information that raises serious challenges to much of what is coming out of the Government's mouth."

JO - J’cans give US dirt on Dudus. 5 prominent locals on US list of informants.

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Oberver

J’cans give US dirt on Dudus

5 prominent locals on US list of informants

Sunday, March 07, 2010


FIVE well-known Jamaicans are among a number of witnesses whose statements the United States Government intends to use against Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, the diminutive and powerful Western Kingston don who has strong family and business connections in the constituency of Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Highly placed authoritative sources have told the Sunday Observer that included in the five are three well-known underworld figures — one a convict deportee, another an accused against whom no convictions have been secured so far, and the third an individual currently residing in the US at the pleasure of that country’s federal prison system."

"The sources also say that both have been granted residency status in the United States in exchange for information against Coke, and at least two of the three are those referred to as co-conspirators in the indictment filed by American authorities against Coke."

"Christopher Michael Coke, aka ‘Michael Christopher Coke’; ‘Paul Christopher Scott’; ‘Presi’; ‘General’; ‘President’; ‘Dudus’ and ‘Shortman’ was indicted on two counts — conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine, and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

According to the indictment filed in the US District Court Southern District of New York, Coke and others known and unknown, “unlawfully, intentionally, and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together and with each other to violate the narcotics laws of the United States” in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere.

The alleged acts, the US said, were committed “from at least in or about 1994, up to and including in or about October 2007”.

The indictment also accused Coke and others of unlawfully, intentionally, and knowingly distributing and possessing with intent to distribute, 1,000 kilograms and more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of marijuana, and five kilograms and more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of cocaine in violation of Sections 812, 841(a) (1), and 841(b) (1) (A) of Title 21, United States Code.

The indictment also accuses Coke of illegally importing guns into Jamaica “via a wharf located adjacent to Tivoli Gardens” and outlines telephone conversations the US authorities say were conducted between Coke and a number of unnamed coconspirators regarding the shipment of guns and narcotics.

The Jamaican Government’s handling of the Americans’ extradition request for Coke, submitted last August, has soured relations between both countries in recent months."

"Last Monday, in its annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Washington questioned Kingston’s commitment to law enforcement co-operation and blasted the Golding administration for procrastinating on the request."

"The United States Embassy in Kingston is located in Liguanea."

&

"On September 17 last year, two days after US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly labelled Jamaica a “major illicit drug-producing country”, a highly placed US source told the Sunday Observer that Washington would begin cancelling the visas of highprofile Jamaicans.

“There is one thing that Jamaicans love more than their country, and it’s their US visa, and America knows that,” the source said at the time."

JO - The eagle vs the doctor bird

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

The eagle vs the doctor bird

BARBARA GLOUDON

Friday, March 05, 2010


IN THIS CORNER - The Big Eagle... In this corner, the little doctor bird fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world... Ding-ding-ding...a tiny doctor bird flying into the face of a great big eagle, sharp talons, beak and all, to let that old raptor know "don't joke wid wi. Wi little but we very tallawah." In that spirit of tallawahness, we're currently engaged in a battle which has many people confused.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"This business of the request for the extradition of the man who is fast becoming a Jamaican urban legend has gone from a mere formality to high drama. After months of waiting for us to fulfil the request for the alleged accused to be delivered to them to answer allegations of drug and gun-running, the Eagle has decided to turn up the heat. They ramped up our status on the list of countries which they believe need to straighten up and fly right. They tested the patience of one of our prominent citizens by cancelling his visa, subjecting him to public embarrassment. Students of warfare will recognise the "warning shot across the bow"."

"It is not the first time that a Jamaican prime minister has decided to play tough with Washington. In the testosterone-laden days of the 70s, Mr Manley sent packing the US Ambassador who was prone to lapses in appropriate behaviour."

"If the object of the exercise is to get Washington to show us respect, to admit that Jamaicans have constitutional rights which do not "stop at Liguanea", to quote the PM, then why are we going about it this way? Other questions of the day include the query about diplomatic intervention."

&

"(O)ut on the street people want to know what this is going to mean for them. Will America retaliate by cancelling more visas, not only for the powerful but the powerless? The thought of never being able to go to Brooklyn again is enough to send some people into depression.

Never mind all that stuff you see on the news about economic recession in America, Jamaicans still want to go there. We're not afraid of hard times. We are survivors. If anybody can make it in America, it is us. So... please, oonu leave the visa out of it."

_____
gloudonb@yahoo.com