photo credit: dane brian[/caption]For over nine long months, the FBI, via our Department of State, has sought the extradition of a Jamaican resident, Christopher Coke, for allegedly trafficking drugs between the two countries. Mr. Coke has been alleged to have employed a prominent United States law firm to lobby on his behalf against extradition. This lobbying effort failed and the formal extradition request was made… with said extradition request basically being ignored initially by the Jamaican government. Signatories of an extradition treaty see it as being mutually beneficial because the shoe can be on either country’s foot… since crime is everywhere. Today, I may call on you to extradite someone who had taken refuge in your country and tomorrow… it may be you asking me the same favor….
There were all sort of explanations why the Jamaican authorities did not adhere to America’s request: There are those who said that the current Jamaican Prime Minister, Manning, refused because he was from the same hamlet as the accused… or that many in the Jamaican government were beholden to the accused… or that many feared the sacrifice of police officers and citizens lives it would take to enforce the extradition request.
Apparently, the fear of violence was valid because the surrounding hamlets where the accused resided were congested with the dead of citizens and officers in Jamaica’s efforts to extradite Mr. Coke. One report said that over 41 people had died because Mr. Coke had the surrounding hamlets, where resided, armed to the teeth… so when the authority came for him… fierce gun battles ensued… causing the casualties.
The Jamaican authorities are reporting that Mr. Coke may no longer be in Jamaica and are speculating that he may have taken refuge in a neighboring country - this is possible, they said, because Mr. Coke have the means to afford him safe passage anywhere, except of course America. The Jamaican government was being squeezed because the Obama administration threatened to cut off some aid, refused to issue American visas, and cut back on its embassy personnel.
Jamaica then was facing the classic dilemma of trying to determine among the needs of the many (the Jamaican people), which outweighed the needs of the few (Coke’s posse) or the one (Mr. Coke). Moreover, think of the countless extradition treaty requests that are made by the Americans… if a tiny Caribbean Island can disregard such a request… then it sent a terrible message to the big dogs….
The Jamiacan Prime Minister is named Bruce Golding. Fact check much?
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