For many years we have heard tales of the high level of
integration of criminal gangs and politicians and the dangers such an unholy
alliance presents. Never more clearly has this been illustrated than by the
events unfolding with the Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke extradition.
The United
States has requested Mr. Coke be extradited
to stand trial for trafficking drugs and guns and 3 months later the JLP
government has not acceded to the request. Instead they have explored every
means possible to delay or derail this request.
Not only fearing the political repercussions arresting the
‘Area Leader’ of the Prime Ministers constituency would generate but also the inferno
of violence such an attempt would ignite.
Make no mistake we are seeing a government paralyzed into
inaction by fear of the power and influence of a Don.
For the government to so publicly fumble for excuses to
remain inactive is a clear signal of the hopelessness of dismantling organized
crime in Jamaica.
As long as politicians maintain the links to criminals they will find
themselves compromised. Forced to play politics with national security, to craft
peace treaties with warring factions, to inadvertently partake in establishing
a framework and environment in which the cancer of organized crime can spread
and ultimately consume the Jamaican society.
The rumor of the unholy allegiance between organized crime
and politics, has left the verandahs and dining rooms and is being played out on
the front pages of our newspapers and news reports.
We must take stock of this reality, to appreciate that in
our country our police force could never hope to even investigate a man as
connected as Mr. Coke.
We must insist that these political ties be severed. We must
come together and say to the Prime minister we find this allegiance
unacceptable, embarrassing and repugnant.
And if he does not relinquish his ties to Tivoli
gardens that the next time we the people of Jamaica face the polls he will be fired.
