Below are the responses of political representatives of Jamaica to the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica’s (PSOJ) emancipation park declaration ultimatum. The declaration demanded that political representatives sever ties with gunmen and other criminal elements in their constituencies, and gave the politicians until June 15, 2005 to do so publicly. It also called for the dismantling of political garrisons.
Karl Samuda (JLP General Secretary)
"We are prepared to do all we can to reduce crime, but we do not want to be held responsible for what is really the responsibility of the elected government, and the nation ought not to lose sight of that fact."
Omar Davies (Finance Minister)
Omar Davies, whose South St Andrew seat is considered as one of the main garrisons of the governing People's National Party (PNP), said yesterday that he had taken concrete steps to de-tribalise his constituency, including bringing warring factions together in "Rema" and promoting peaceful interaction with their former enemy - Tivoli Gardens - through football matches and other initiatives.
"I have gone way beyond a letter, I have opened up the constituency."
Dr Karl Blythe (PNP vice president)
Dr. Blythe said that he had no known association with any criminals and therefore could not disassociate himself. Blythe, the MP for Western Westmoreland and a former water and housing minister, also sought to explain the context in which he attended the funeral of reputed gangster, Willie Haggart a few years ago.
"As a politician you meet and shake hands with many people but I have not knowingly formed any such association. You know I come from a rural constituency, I was introduced to Willie Haggart as an influential community person, I didn't know anything about his reputation as a somebody with shady associations. It is when he died that I started to hear all sorts of things," said Blythe.
Taken from the Jamaica Observer May 28, 2005.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment