Hurricane Dean ushered Bruce Golding and the JLP into government in September 2007. Tropical Storm Gustav commemorated their first year in office. So far, knock on wood, the 2009 hurricane season has been particularly quiet.
Then, just as things seemed to be winding down to the usual end of summer back-to-school, money-have-to-spend and government-and teachers-must-quarrel, the U.S. authorities are treating us to a whirlwind of scandal, gossip and gambling by requesting that the JLP government of Bruce Golding render up JLP and Tivoli Gardens strongman, Christopher “Dudus” Coke unto the U.S. justice system, well known for eating up Jamaica’s bad men and spitting them out again five or ten years later, no harm done.
Christopher “Dudus”Coke and his Plantation Heights yard
So how good a story is the requested extradition of “Dudus” ? Let’s see how it breaks down:-
(1) “Dudus” father, Lester Lloyd Coke aka “Jim Brown” died in a fire in his cell on February 23, 1991. He was due to be removed to the U.S. to face trial the following day. Among those who remember “Jim Brown”, everyone has their favourite theory as to who ordered the death of “Jim Brown” – e.g. some say he committed suicide; some say Seaga ordered his death to conceal his ties to the JLP; some say he was killed by his cronies who had no doubt that he would sing like a bird once he was in a U.S. prison.
So, can “Dudus” even survive to face trial in the U.S. ? And if he is to die, who gives the order this time ? Someone in Columbia ? Someone in the U.S. ? Someone in the upper echelons of the present government ?
(2) The history of the extradition treaty between Jamaica and the U.S. since 1991 is basically about JLP dons and a PNP government. Will things be different now that “Dudus’” M.P. and the M.P. for West Kingston is Bruce Golding, the Prime Minister of Jamaica?
(3) Why is “Dudus” Coke’s lawyer, JLP Senator Tom Tavares-Finson, sounding hesitant and unsure of his ground when discussing the matter with the pro-government team at Nationwide radio ?
Where is the brash, arrogant, take-no-prisoners Tom Tavares- Finson that we have come to know (if not to love )?
Can the JLP Senator be worrying that his client’s case is all too similar to that of Norris “Deedo” Nembhard (designated a drug kingpin by George Bush, Nembhard was extradited to the U.S. in 2008, and subsequently convicted on various charges) ? Is he worried that “Dudus” will suffer the same fate as Leebert Ramcharan ?
Senator Tom Tavares-Finson
(4) Many, many times over the years we have heard that Jamaican criminals in U.S. prisons were going to sing like birds. Remember when Vivian Blake was going to ensure that dozens of Jamaican politicians and “well known businessmen” were discredited, arrested, extradited to the U.S.? Going to rot forever in an American jail ?
Instead, a mere 9 years after he received 28 years in prison, Vivian Blake is back home in Jamaica .
(5) “Dudus” has supposedly got cover from “his” government. Under the PNP, this kind of “harassment” was par for the course. Nowadays, “Dudus” is a respectable businessman who is rewarded for his loyalty in the usual manner: a few government contracts here and there.
So, what will his “coverage” be worth ? Can Prime Minister Golding really hide “Dudus” from the U.S. authorities behind his government’s skirts ?
(6) The unofficial bookmakers are taking very big bets.
What are the odds on Christopher “Dudus” Coke being extradited alive to the U.S. ? 10 to 1 ? Or more like 100 to 1 ?
What are the odds on his extradition being delayed by the Senator? For one year ? For at least four years ?
So, what’s your take on this ? Where are you putting your money ?
hmmmm how much PNP dons have been extradited ?
I’m not sure (not being an expert on dons…..). Seems to me that none of the dons extradited were accused of being affiliated with the PNP. Of course, under the management of our sword and Shields, one PNP don, Matthews Lane area leader, “Zekes”, was convicted and is still in prison here. However, Zekes was rumoured to have pissed off the PNP hierarchy and was carefully discredited with his supporters and henchmen before they moved against him…..
the US government has to request extradition, not the Jamaican government of the day…so it is obvious that PNP dons are small fry relative to JLP kingpins!
Dudus, Mr president, bossie, the dads, the don dadda, the dapper, has only two choices, be extradited or die.
kil every jamaican b4 get to dudus
lol Guest it is not that the dons of the PNP are small fries but that they killed them. Don’t you know about Bulby the Clansman Don he was killed. Zeeks send himself to prison by doing what Jamaicans are against. So you see maybe the PNP is smarter than the JLP. There dons are killed in shot out on a daily basis. lol
ALL CRAP, HAVE THEY REALLY GOT ANY THING ON HIM OR IS IT JUST TALK FROM WHAT I HEAR HE KEEPS THE PEACE IN HIS AREA AND KEEPS THE PEOPLE IN TACT FROM WHAT I KNOW HE IS A QUIET YOUTH, EARN AND DEMAND RESPECT.
why the us don”t go and look for binladen and leave other country to handle their own matter in kingston jamaica people look up to this man this man keep the peace. they need to leave the man alone.
guilty as charge
the history is his curse
if the charges are validated, then go do the time. Bring the evidence and charges and allow the court proceeding to carryout. Speak not, unless you know and have the facts…
Next on the extradition block are the Entire Jamaican politicians from Seaga right back to present day.
My take on this dudus saga is; yes he keeps the peace,he feeds some of the people but at what cost to the people, if he is guilty he should do his time,he should have ensure from the get go that when push comes to shove nobody can’t call his name,
Yow mi Daaadddiiiii! Look like di Boss might be cornered. Di boss fi now seh history repeats itself. Dis yah issue biggah dan the Don Dudus. He will be replaced. Its simple as dat. His name rings bells and attracts to much attention, in this case, the wrong kind. Boss, just run weh yu hear dat. Leff wid di cash weh yu have, lef di fame and power behind. Dust to Dust.
The longer this drags on the more hype will surround this extradition.
It is the failure of the Jamaican justice system that has allowed Dudus to be free so long to kill, maime, rape, rod and extort so many.
He should have been tried in Jamaica and sent to prison for life a long time ago.
leave the big man lone shw 4life
Why is the US so worried about extraditing this man?? I agree that they need to stop worrying about Dudus and worry more about taking care of this war that they are in, in Iraq. Being an American that has first hand witness to the struggle of people that live in the Garrison’s in Kingston, whether I agree with the choices that he made, I understand his need to take care of his community and to do whatever it takes to help them survive.
i want to know if all coke will lose their visa, the americans are very revengeful so i cant put anything pass them, hope it wont be like that because that would be another war against us.
Extradite him! Extradite Him, Bruce Golding, Daryl Vaz, Edward Seaga, all these labourwrongs.. they are all involved in corrupt practices. Dudus is a criminal.
Extradite the entire Jamaica Labour Party , this will let Jamaica be a better place.
Excuse me….I am American..and we are looking for Bin Laden…have you turned on the news lately? Do you not hear about the war on terror, the US occupying the middle east? Why do you think we are in Afghan or Iraq? If this guy did the crime, he is g0ing to pay for it..one way or another…He is no better than our own criminals…so he seeks asylum at home in Jamaica…I hope Ja does hand him over..I would hate to see the outcome of this, if the US wants him that bad…
I am a US soldier…and we are peacekeepers to the world…we are a world power..that is what we do…a lot of countries do not agree…but everytime there is a crisis..they are calling for the WEST to come and help them…and we do.
From Haiti to Mogadishu to Somalia and points farther…..we do..and we loose American lives doing it.