JAMAICA: PNP GENERAL SECRETARY DISCUSSES COKE EXTRADITION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000962

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (JMACK-WILSON) (BALVARADO) (VDEPIRRO) (WSMITH)
L/LEI (CHOLLAND) (AKLUESNER)
INR/IAA (GBOHIGAN)
JUSTICE FOR OIA (PPETTY)
TREASURY FOR ERIN NEPHEW
INR/RES (RWARNER)
CENTRAL AMERICAN CARIBBEAN BASIN COLLECTIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL CJAN CVIS PGOV PINR ASEC SNAR SOCI EAID KCOR
KCRM, JM, XL, CH, VE
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: PNP GENERAL SECRETARY DISCUSSES COKE EXTRADITION
WITH EMBASSY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DEFENSE COMMUNITY

REF: KINGSTON 697; KINGSTON 676; KINGSTON 733; KINGSTON 924
KINGSTON 712; KINGSTON 490; KINGSTON 712

KINGSTON 00000962 001.2 OF 002


Summary:

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1. (SBU) On November 12, Emboffs organized a largely informational
meeting at Post between representatives of the Mission's law
enforcement community and Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Bunting,
General Secretary and Opposition Spokesman for National Security
for the opposition People's National Party (PNP). Bunting, who
had requested the meeting, was ostensibly interested in a briefing
on the myriad areas of cooperation between the Government of
Jamaica (GOJ) and the U.S. However, Bunting is ambitious and a
rising star in his party, so it is likely that he was also engaged
in making valuable contacts should the PNP return to power. As has
been the case in the past, Bunting was quite vocal in his criticism
of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)'s anti-crime efforts, Prime
Minister (PM) Bruce Golding's handling of the ongoing Christopher
Coke extradition request, and the role of garrisons in Jamaica's
political life.



PNP "Embarrassed" By Coke Extradition Delay

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2. (SBU) After briefings from Post's Narcotics Affairs Section
(NAS),the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA),the U.S.
Marshalls Service (USMS),the Defense Attach????'s Office (DAO),
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),and USAID, the meeting
turned to the Coke extradition request (Ref A, B). Bunting, who
has spoken previously with Emboffs on the topic (Ref C),asserted
that the Coke extradition request was a "test of Jamaica's
political will" in fighting organized crime and that the PNP was
highly embarrassed by the GOJ's response. "It's okay to extradite
small criminals, but when it comes to big ones we stall," Bunting
lamented. Under the previous PNP-led GOJ, Bunting maintained that
extradition requests typically left the Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
within 24 hours to prevent leaks. Discounting the GOJ's legal
arguments against the Coke extradition, Bunting stated that "a
person's rights are for the courts to decide, not the
administration." He asserted that, by stalling, the PM and the
GOJ are losing credibility in fighting crime, and noted that "this
undermines the credibility of the administration and makes other
agencies and missions start to question cooperating with such an
administration, our international reputation is damaged." As for
public perceptions of the GOJ's handling of the extradition
request, Bunting noted that "I'm surprised civil society has not
spoken out. But not surprised, Coke is a terrifying person by
reputation."



Cooperation Just Window Dressing

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3. (SBU) Regarding the recent resignation of Police Commissioner
Hardly Lewin (Ref D),Bunting asserted that Lewin had essentially
been fired by the PM. Normally, civil servants, including members

KINGSTON 00000962 002.2 OF 002


of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF),are insulated from
political influence and do not change with administrations.
Historically, the appointment of the Police Commissioner has been
by agreement between the GOJ and opposition party. However,
Bunting stated that "if the Prime Minister says that he has no
confidence in the Police Commissioner's ability to fight crime, he
essentially fired him." While admitting that Commissioner Lewin
had poor interpersonal skills and was not an effective team
builder, Bunting nevertheless insisted that his integrity and
character were beyond reproach. Bunting also questioned the PM's
motives in pushing Lewin out with only a year remaining on his
contract. "The Prime Minister's cooperation with the opposition is
window dressing," Bunting maintained. "Key decisions are made in a
partisan manner. Practically, the Prime Minister fired Lewin. Bad
timing makes people wonder if there is a connection." (NOTE: In a
previous discussion, Bunting contended that many in the JLP opposed
Lewin because he had favored extraditing Coke. Ref E. End Note).



Why Do People Rob Banks?

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4. (SBU) In presenting the PNP national security vision, Bunting
put in a plug for additional aid for the Jamaica Defence Force
(JDF),which he described as a professional officer's corps that,
while generally not corrupt, had been starved for resources.
Helicopters are desperately needed for coastal operations, Bunting
maintained, with the JDF currently reduced to just a handful, most
of which are used to chauffeur the PM around the island. Bunting
defended Jamaica's acceptance of military and economic aid from
donors such as Venezuela and China, but implied that such
relationships were more pragmatic than ideological, as well as
necessary given what he described as declining U.S. and British
interest in the Caribbean. "If Chavez offers aid, it's not a
political issue, we need aid," Bunting maintained. "Why do people
rob banks? That is where the money is. Everyone is taking a
pragmatic approach."



Comment and Analysis:

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5. (SBU) The ambitious and admittedly partisan Bunting clearly sees
the Coke extradition case as a powerful political weapon with which
to pummel the JLP; while he admits that the PNP has had its own
history of relationships with criminal dons in garrison
communities, he continues to insist that the JLP's ties to, and
dependence on, organized crime are of a far greater magnitude.
Having returned to politics in 2007 after several years in the
private sector, the relatively-young Bunting has risen rapidly
within the PNP and likely has his sights set eventually on the
party's presidency. Despite what seemed to be differences earlier
this year with PNP President Portia Simpson Miller over party
strategy (Ref F),Bunting seems to have been successful at the
PNP's recent annual conference in at least papering over the
party's divisions and improving its financial management (Ref G).
A former investment banker educated in the U.S. and Canada, Bunting
also represents a more pragmatic influence within the traditionally
leftist PNP. Bunting's request to meet with the Embassy's law
enforcement community suggests that he is interested in developing
and maintaining a close relationship with U.S. decision makers, a
relationship the U.S. should encourage. End Analysis.
Parnell