Relations between the Government of Jamaica and the US

[malaise]

deteriorate by the hour.
Background - the US requested the extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke last year. Coke is the son of Lester Lloyd Coke aka Jim Brown (who was burned beyond recognition following an extradition request).
A good read for background is Born Fi Dead.

The Obama administration has not appointed an Ambassador to Jamaica (very, very unusual) and those in the know have connected the dots.

Last week the US visa of a well connected businessman and member of the Golding inner circle, Wayne Chen, was revoked. He and his family were supposedly checking in on a flight when he was told that State Department canceled his visa.

Lots of rumors on the street that 26 visas of government officials or people connected to them were also revoked.
Now this in the Gleaner this morning.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100302/lead/lead1.html
<snip>
US hints at diplomatic war if Coke, others not extradited now

The United States Government has flayed the Bruce Golding administration over Jamaica's handling of the extradition request for west Kingston strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

In an unusually caustic report on Jamaica in its annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report , the Barack Obama administration made it clear it was not satisfied with Kingston's handling of the extradition request and charged that the Golding government was not holding to the rules.

"While cooperation between (the) Government of Jamaica (GOJ) and United States Government law-enforcement agencies remained strong, delays in proceeding with the significant extradition request for a major alleged narcotics and firearms trafficker who is reported to have ties to the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), and subsequent delays in other extradition requests, have called into question Kingston's commitment to law-enforcement cooperation with the US," the report claimed.

In a parting shot, the US Government hinted that its relationship with the Jamaican Government could deteriorate if Dudus and others are not extradited quickly.

"The GOJ is encouraged to demonstrate its political will to address corruption by successfully investigating, prosecuting, and convicting corrupt officials at all levels of government service and by the timely extradition of fugitives in accordance with the provisions of the bilateral extradition treaty without regard to political influence or party affiliation."
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This is getting ugly but it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch. Under Seaga, this is the same party that worked with Reagan and Bush to destroy our social democratic agenda and invade Grenada. A lot of their evil deeds were financed by the said drug trade which spread across the US and Britain - led by the well known Showers Posse. The chickens have indeed come home to roost and more than a few people are laughing at this mess.

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1. LOL... I always get a laugh when the US accuses another country

of "not playing by the rules," given that the US makes up its own rules for itself as it moves along.

[malaise]

2. Well Showers Posse created havoc both here and

in the US largely playing by US rules. Now they are attempting to rein in the goons they created.
If so many people hadn't been killed with the illegal guns, this would dwarf Comedy Central.
You have no idea how much laughter this is evoking here in Kingston and most of it is at the local officials.
When corruption supersedes crime and violence as our number one problem, it's beyond funny given that Mr New and Different is at the helm.
Most of us anticipate a sudden shoot out leading to the death of Dudus. Of course the US folks will be blamed even though everyone here knows the US wants him alive. :popcorn:

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3. The PM spoke in Parliament this afternoon

says the US violated Jamaican law in obtaining evidence - sounded like wiretapping to me.
This is getting uglier by the minute.

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4. AP picks up the drama

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i1zryYm-BEBJoTLAJhVDpB-sktjgD9E6PEB00
<snip>
Jamaica's reluctance to hand over an alleged crime boss is straining relations with the United States, which is questioning the Caribbean nation's reliability as an ally against drug trafficking.

The two governments have been negotiating over Christopher "Dudus" Coke since the U.S. requested his extradition in August to face arms and drug trafficking charges in New York. The U.S. Justice Department calls him one of the world's most dangerous drug kingpins.

In a report Monday, the State Department suggested corruption could be holding up the extradition request. It noted Coke has ties to the governing Jamaica Labor Party and essentially controls the barricaded Tivoli Gardens neighborhood in west Kingston, the home constituency of Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

The International Narcotics Control Strategy Report said the handling of the request has "called into question Kingston's commitment to law enforcement cooperation with the U.S."

Golding said Tuesday that the extradition request has been held up by concerns over how some evidence against Coke was obtained. In particular, he contended that intercepted communications were handled in violation of Jamaican law. While island officials raised this issue in several meetings, the U.S. has yet to present adequate evidence, he said.