JAMAICA: 2007 MAJORS LIST CERTIFICATION SCORE CARD

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000900 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR INL/LP BOZZOLO, BROWN AND WHA BUDDEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PREL JM SUBJECT: JAMAICA: 2007 MAJORS LIST CERTIFICATION SCORE CARD REF: A. STATE 72494 ¶B. 2006 STATE 204184 ¶C. KINGSTON 071 ¶D. KINGSTON 343 ¶E. KINGSTON 709 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Jamaica has neither demonstrably failed to meet the certification requirements outlined in Reftel A, nor has it demonstrably failed to meet the USG 2007 Benchmarks for Jamaica (Reftel B). Jamaica, despite the increase in marijuana eradication operations and record seizures of marijuana destined for the United States, remains the Caribbean's leading exporter of the drug to the United States, and should remain a Majors list country for 2007. End Summary. 2007 Benchmarks =============== ¶2. (SBU) In January, (Reftel C) Post delivered the 2007 Majors List Benchmarks for Jamaica (Reftel B),which are: one, enforce anti-corruption legislation; two, interdict at least four substantial cocaine shipments; three, finalize the Proceeds of Crime legislation; and four, institute the following reform measures within the Jamaica Constabulary Force: a) fill the internal affairs/anti-corruption officer chief position, reform existing internal affairs regulations to permit prompt dismissal and prosecution of corrupt police officers regardless of rank, c) develop and implement a comprehensive vetting system for new officers which carries clear disciplinary sanctions for corrupt police officers, and d) rationalize assignments and training to ensure that officers are not transferred out of specialized units shortly after they receive training. January - June 2007, How Jamaica Did ==================================== ¶3. (SBU) The USG asked the Government of Jamaica to enforce existing anti-corruption legislation. While it did take steps to require Civil Servants to submit their annual financial disclosure reports, once turned in, the reports are simply boxed up and never reviewed as the Office of the Public Prosecutor does not have the staff to conduct investigation. The Corruption Prevention Commission, The Office of the Auditor General, and the Contractor General of Jamaica (Reftel D) continue to be stymied by a lack of investigative resources, and are hampered by the fact that their budgets are controlled by the Minister of Finance, and each request requires Ministerial approval. Therefore, these organizations currently can do little more than bring corruption scandals into the public arena. The Ministry of National Security has prepared draft legislation for the National Investigative/Intelligence Agency, which will have among its mandate investigations of public corruption. The Minister intends to bring this legislation to Parliament before the end of June. ¶4. (SBU) The USG asked the Government of Jamaica to interdict at least four substantial cocaine shipments. When presented with this benchmark in early 2007, (Reftel B),Jamaica's Minister of National Security questioned whether this was an appropriate benchmark, wondering if perhaps the arrest/extradition of major traffickers would be a more appropriate, more productive undertaking. While cooperation on the arrest/extradition of major traffickers, such as the Drug Kingpin, Leebert Ramcharan in March 2007, remains excellent, thus far in 2007, there have been no major seizures of Cocaine. Cocaine seizures year-to-date are 51.44 kilograms. Jamaica is currently participating in a regional maritime interdiction operation, which has yielded little to no cocaine, but substantial amounts of marijuana and guns seized in Jamaican coastal waters. The current street price of cocaine in Jamaica has risen from USD 6000 to USD 10000 per kilo, indicating a scarcity of supply. Traffickers appear to prefer alternate Caribbean transit routes to the United States, avoiding Jamaica. As there is no indication that the current smuggling pattern will change in the near term, NAS-Kingston suggests revision of this benchmark from four to two major cocaine shipments, with the addition of a requirement to arrest/extradite two major traffickers before year's end. ¶5. (SBU) The USG asked the Government of Jamaica to pass the Proceeds of Crime Act, which had been languishing in Parliament for more than one year. On January 23, (Reftel E),Parliament passed the Act, and on May 8, the Minister of National Security signed into law the Act's implementing regulations, and established the POCA's effective date, May ¶15. Under the POCA, for the first time, the Government of Jamaica will have the power of civil forfeiture. The POCA covers commercial banks, merchant banks, mortgage companies (called building societies),exchange bureaus, securities dealers, remittance agencies and money transfer agencies. The POCA requires that the GOJ establish an Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) to manage and dispose of seized and forfeited assets; the ARA will be housed in the Financial Crimes Investigative Division (FID). The FID has finalized organization of its ARA and has received preliminary approval from the Ministers of National Security and Finance for the additional resources required, but it is still awaiting Cabinet approval of its plan. The UK has made POCA implementation a priority and through its ARA - Center for Excellence, it is implementing a one-year capacity building program for the FID, Jamaica Constabulary Force's Financial Crimes Division and the Office of the Public Prosecutor. NAS-Kingston is working closely with the UK High Commission in Kingston on the needs assessment upon which the training program will be based, and it will provide assistance where it complements the ARA's program. ¶6. (SBU) The USG asked the Government of Jamaica to institute a number of reform measures within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). In May, the Government of Jamaica offered the position of Chief of the Anti-Corruption Division to a UK police officer (septel). He is expected to start work this summer. All other reform measures listed in the 2007 benchmarks are slated to be analyzed under the Ministry of National Security's new strategic review of the JCF, which is set to begin in June and run through January 2008. Certification Criteria, (Reftel A),How Jamaica Did ============================================= ====== ¶7. (SBU) In addition to the specific benchmarks for Jamaica listed above, Jamaica conducted the following activities/operations relevant to the 1988 UN Drug Convention (statistics are year-to-date (YTD)): -- CULTIVATION/ILLICIT CROP ERADICATION: YTD, Operation Buccaneer has destroyed 146 hectares of marijuana in the field, 164 kilograms of seeds, 1,917,400 marijuana seedlings, and 29 nursery buildings. -- DEMAND REDUCTION: With INL support, the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) continued its partnership with the University of the West Indies to develop an on-line addiction studies program covering substance abuse prevention, treatment, drug epidemiology, program evaluation and management. -- INTERDICTION: YTD, Jamaican Security Forces have seized 31 thousand kilograms of cured marijuana, 40 kilos of hash oil, and 51.44 kilograms of cocaine. -- LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION: In April the joint U.S., UK, Canadian, Jamaican, Airport Interdiction Task Force was launched. Task Force officers have received orientation training and they are currently operating under the supervision of U.S. and UK personnel. Cooperation in other joint operations, such as Kingfish, Windjammer, and Hummingbird, and All Inclusive has been excellent. -- MONEY LAUNDERING/ASSET SEIZURE: YTD the Financial Investigative Division has seized currency in the amount of USD 188,000. -- EXTRADITION: YTD the U.S. Marshals Service in conjunction with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Fugitive Apprehension Team, (JFAT),were responsible for the extradition of one major trafficker (Donavan Williams) and the Drug King Pin Leebert Ramcharan. In addition, the Marshals and the JFAT extradited three fugitives. The U.S. Marshall's current case load is as follows: 215 active cases, seven arrests, 55 fugitives located awaiting extradition requests, 18 fugitives in custody awaiting extradition orders. Because of the success of the JFAT team, the Jamaica Constabulary Force intends to double its size and divide JFAT into two units to apprehend both domestic and foreign fugitives. JOHNSON