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 ?
pnp not better than jlp the police no better don dudus the hole a dem a criminal so left dudus and bruce alone portia you know what you up to. but you connot get back the country god bless dudus and druce
God have mercy on jamaica…….. only .god has the power to judge anyone of his children all these people that are wishing the worst for this dudus guy one thing i got to say remember that the world spins in circle so bcarefull that it doesnt spin back on u anything bad that u wish for someone will come right back 2 u… 4 the u.s government as some people commented clean up ur back yard first b4 u try 2 intimidate other countries….. some people only talk bad about dudus but just as all human beings hes doe wrong but hes also done right yeah mayb he didnt help out the entire island but he did help out part of it…..Dudus im not against u but i cant say im with u uve done good things but the worst thing ur doing right know is letting innocent people die on ur bhalf think about it baby what sence does it make 4 this war to continue if some day the american gov is gonna hold on 2 u if u love ur people u know what u got 2 do………… i hope eberything works out 4 the best i pray 4 u jamaica and duds i have u in prayers no matter the outcome of this battle…………. God bless
Bruce ur the blame 4 this war ur gov should of never signed 4 dudus 2 b extridicted 2 the u.s
Please police and what they call them selves us please free the man for peace i love dudus and we love him forever and God bless hin and bless him all the time
why 1 man have to cause so much people death?wen god ready dudus have 2 move, bruse do da right thing, cant mek 1 man break up relationship wit usa, DUDUS WILL TURN IN HIM SELF SOON, i prayin for jamaica my country
You see the name jamaican gal not girl and noting good dont come from gal mouth but foolishness o.k people.
easy mr MP i know that your using styles on them cause you dont want Dudus boys come ofter you that makes sense clean up the place we want back our Jamaica nice on clean,ok we want to see that your oh so smart than we think you are ,ok let some of us eat our cap show us !like they say once in a life time chance to crush the GANGS so lets give it our best shot ,be bless.
at end of the day maybe if other countries stop exstortionising little islands lyk jamacia and giv blud clott chance for people i’m talking real wealth from honest work people lyk duglas wouldn’t appear . but till that happens it ant gona change every man for him blud clot self kill or b kill
Yuh Right now man belly full over here poor people yuh eat? give me the sound of this letter rrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Who cares nobody so when you see somebody out side helping the poor people that’s a great thing.
That name phillipa what kind of name is that from you here the name you know that person is a clown about eating cap what is that? You are a clown go to a circus.
wel as a born ja. live out for some time i am very much con, about jamaica the crime the gun the govement al is currup an guilty the good people that al ways up hold jamaica where they al gone the mr bruce should up hold the law from day one. second no police must tuch tevoli or soilder even thow some of them or so corrup. u dont know who to trust, all i want to say if dudus was any good he would not have let so many people dead for him u should have talk to his people. their is this song said fallow u leader.and who is the leader.was jim brown and now son they do not have any respect for life the best police man ever for jamaica is reneto adams i wish he could become our next primister because he have gutts and he would do all in his power for the love he have for his country. if the primister love his country he would love his people when we as jamaican out in the world trying to earn something to help our country and family we have to beer all kind of name. i was told that heaven refuse us and hell do not want u some time u cry for the abuse we put up with to servise.
Blu and sara end their statement the same way example blu b kill instead of get kill and sara servise instead of survive. So what I think them two need to do is to get them self into a elementry school and leave bad people argument alone. The reason why I get on them two is because they post foolishness after I post my comment. I don’t care about who post a comment before me.
I think my little son in elementary school do better than this.
I am particularly disturbed if not amaized over some of the comments of the various writers. I am aware, however, that everyone is entitled to his own view. But while one is entitled to a view of his own, I must ask, what hapens to his conscience? I say this to add, that those who laud Bruce Golding and DUDUS are of the same thinking, criminal mentality embelished by evil of the highest order. No leader of any nation should uphold the wrong doings of anybody. Notwithstanding the quid per coe approach should be considered the fact that he is the head of a country. For the small man one can understand, the fact that he has not the ability to think further than the point of his nose. He has not the ability that Golden and DUDUS would at the end bring the island to the edge of complete abandonment; foreign investors stop coming in, Jamaican nationals “returnees” are afraid to even think about returning, those clean minded who are there are planning to leave in vast exedus, leaving alone all those who think like Golding and all those who laud their illicit activities.
I woud respectfully ask all the ragheads who have written in favor of upholding of wrongs to think again and think of what would have been the end of the island as a result.
leave d president alone
hope dudus speaks the truth and let the chip fall where they may…..
I totally agree with Al Hew, the only comment really worth reading on this page
what a man sow that shall he reap.
do good, good follow you
live by the weapon die by them
today Dudus is in an uncomfortable position, that i believe no one would like to be in, Lord have mercy on the soul of every Jamaican. i am in a position to judge the accuse unless my eyes and ears were present at every move he made, God forbid no man is perfect; this must be complimented with the words ” Let the first man without sin cast the first stone”
Christopher “Dudus” Coke will recieve justic in the sight of God…. some will be pleased while some will not but its what God has planned for him…