VZCZCXYZ0022
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKG #2151/01 3042029
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 312029Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3843
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEIFBS/FBIS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM J7 MIAMI FL PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 002151 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (NICHOLS, BUDDEN, FORTIN), WHA/FO 
(SNIDLE), INL/LP (CROOK, BROWN), PM/WRA (PICO) 
SOUTHCOM PLEASE PASS FOR ADMIRAL STAVRIDIS, MAJOR GENERAL 
SPEARS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2016 
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL KCOR KCRM MARR XL JM
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF 
NATIONAL SECURITY PETER PHILLIPS 
 
REF: KINGSTON 2100 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Brenda L. Johnson, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
This is an action request: please see para 3. 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) Ambassador Johnson and Minister of National 
Security, Peter Phillips, met October 30 to discuss a range 
of common concerns.  Minister Phillips noted that the October 
26 meeting with DHS Secretary Chertoff in Port of Spain, 
Trinidad, had been a positive one, if somewhat shorter than 
CARICOM Ministers might have preferred.  He welcomed this 
opportunity for follow-up from the Chertoff meeting, and 
requested a copy of the US-CARICOM Initiative to Combat 
Illicit Trafficking in Arms, so that he could push CARICOM to 
review and discuss the agreement.  Regarding criminal 
deportees, Phillips expressed the need to "start a dialogue" 
on the issue, noting that transnational crime is on the rise 
worldwide, and that therefore simple deportation is no longer 
an end in itself.  Minister Phillips strongly agreed with the 
Ambassador on the need to bolster anti-corruption efforts 
within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), and also 
expressed strong support for Post's Narcotics Affairs Section 
(NAS)-assisted Airport Interdiction Task Force at the Norman 
Manley International Airport in Kingston. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Turning his attention to the upcoming Cricket World 
Cup, Phillips assured the Ambassador that Jamaica would take 
all necessary steps to complete the Operational Protocols 
required for implementation of the Advanced Passenger 
Information System (APIS).  He noted, however, that there was 
still a "critical gap" in the region's maritime security 
planning.  Ambassador Johnson used this opportunity to segue 
the discussion to a consideration of Jamaica's entering into 
a formal Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the U.S. 
(reftel).  Phillips agreed to give the matter priority 
attention.  End summary. 
 
------------ 
Participants 
------------ 
 
GOJ participants: Minister Peter Phillips, Permanent 
Secretary Gilbert Scott, Jamaica Defense Force Lt. Col. 
 
SIPDIS 
Anderson. 
 
USG Participants: Ambassador Johnson, NAS Andrea Lewis, ECON 
John Morgan, FO Ixta Gonzalez. 
 
---------------------- 
Light Arms Trafficking 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) At a meeting on October 30, Minister of National 
Security Peter Phillips informed the Ambassador that 
CARICOM's Security Ministers had not seen the agreement on 
trafficking in arms mentioned by Secretary Chertoff at their 
October 26 meeting, and that if the USG provided a copy of 
the document, he would encourage his colleagues to review and 
discuss it on an expedited schedule.  He conceded that the 
confusion likely stems from a mix-up within the CARICOM 
Implementation Agency on Crime and Security (IMPACS): the new 
group has been so focused on preparations for the upcoming 
Cricket World Cup that the document may have been "lost in 
the shuffle."  Permanent Secretary Gilbert Scott added that 
it was his impression that Secretary Rice had left the "door 
open" to move forward bilaterally on this issue before a 
regional agreement was signed.  Minister Phillips seemed 
eager to explore a bilateral MOU with the USG if CARICOM 
continues to stall.  Post requests clarification as to 
whether a bilateral agreement would be acceptable to the USG. 
 
------------------ 
Criminal Deportees 
------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) Regarding the issue of criminal deportees, Phillips 
expressed a strong desire to "start a dialogue" on the issue. 
 He hypothesized that Secretary Chertoff's agenda was "to 
 
seek ways to ensure a faster rate of return," but opined that 
the growth of transnational crime means that simply deporting 
someone no longer leads to the disruption of the criminal 
networks that they have established.  The GOJ feels that more 
can be done to assist with the reintegration and 
rehabilitation of the deportees, and that this is in the 
interests of the United States just as much as Jamaica. 
 
¶5. (SBU) NAS Director pointed out that there has been 
"tension" over the deportee issue in the past.  Phillips, 
however, dismissed this concern.  He preferred to frame the 
debate as a matter for deepened law enforcement cooperation. 
He reiterated that he understand the "domestic political 
realities" in the United States, but nonetheless feels that 
it is in USG interests to partner on the problem. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Asked when Jamaica's portion of the CARICOM 
sponsored study on Criminal Deportees will be publicly 
released, Phillips stated that it would become public once 
raised in Parliament.  NAS Director asked what the GOJ was 
doing to prepare for the media reaction.  Phillips conceded 
that the GOJ had not developed a communications strategy.  He 
and Scott agreed on the need to examine this issue more 
closely, although he provided the caveat that the GOJ "does 
not control (the) media." 
 
----------------------- 
Anti-Corruption Efforts 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Ambassador Johnson expressed disappointment at the 
failure of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to hire a 
U.S. law enforcement officer as the new Head of the JCF 
Anti-Corruption Branch, a position created under the December 
2005 GOJ Anti-Corruption Strategy.  Phillips concurred, 
saying that his displeasure was "well-known" within the 
Ministry (Comment: on saying that, Phillips gave a pointed 
look at Permanent Secretary Scott, whose noticeable absence 
during the recent selection process allowed the Commissioner 
of Police, Lucius Thomas, free reign to express his and the 
JCF's hostility to having an "outsider" hold the position. 
End comment). 
 
¶8. (C) Phillips stated that JCF will re-advertise the 
position, a commitment he was unwilling to make to the 
British High Commissioner during their meeting on October 23. 
 He also insisted that prior to posting the position again, 
the JCF must have settled on clear terms of reference and 
scope of duties for the officer (Note:  In addition to 
Commissioner Thomas' obvious hostility to an outside 
candidate, the lack of clear terms of reference was a 
deciding factor in the U.S. law enforcement officer's 
decision not to pursue the post.  End note). 
 
¶9. (C) As there will be natural friction resulting from an 
outsider coming into an established organization, the NAS 
Director requested that the JCF and the Ministry include in 
the terms of reference clarification of the actual working 
relationship, within the JCF, for this new position.  The 
head of the JCF Professional Standards Branch, Novelette 
Grant, who currently has responsibility for "anti-corruption" 
efforts, has continuously worked behind the scenes to 
undermine the creation of a new Anti-Corruption Branch 
outside her control. Phillips conceded that there were 
elements within the JCF who have "little enthusiasm" for 
anti-corruption efforts, but affirmed that he and the senior 
MNS staff were committed to "rooting out corruption," and he 
welcomed USG assistance in the formulation of terms of 
reference. 
 
------------------------------- 
Airport Interdiction Task Force 
------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) NAS Director also raised concerns regarding the 
lack of space allocated by the Airport Authority for the 
US/UK/Canada/GOJ Airport Interdiction Task Force and other 
law enforcement groups operating at the airport.  Scott noted 
that he had raised this problem in a meeting with the 
Airports Authority.  Phillips, however, went further, stating 
(as much, it seemed, to Scott as for our benefit) that this 
"was not a request," and that the space must be provided. 
NAS Director mentioned that there will be a working-level 
 
coordination meeting on November 1, that will hopefully 
result in agreement by the airport authority to provide 
adequate space, and conveyed the vital importance of staying 
on the same page on this issue. 
 
----------------- 
Cricket World Cup 
----------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Ambassador Johnson noted that the United States was 
engaged on many levels in preparation for the Cricket World 
Cup, to be held in the region in March and April 2007.  The 
Ambassador highlighted the recent signing of the APIS 
agreement with DHS, but cautioned that there was still a 
great deal of work to be done.  Phillips confirmed that a 
comprehensive communications planQxists for APIS 
data-sharing from the regional center in Bridgetown.  Scott 
noted that Operational Protocols for the system were just 
about finalized. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Phillips clarified that the GOJ did not need to 
pass implementing legislation for APIS; he intends to simply 
amend existing regulations already promulgated under the 
Aliens Act of 1946 to order carriers to provide APIS data. 
Asked for a general timeframe, Phillips said that he hoped 
that the appropriate legal framework could be in place before 
Christmas.  Econoff re-emphasized the need for rapid progress 
on these two issues, in particular. 
 
-------------------------- 
Status of Forces Agreement 
-------------------------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) Minister Phillips highlighted the need for a 
greater "maritime presence" ) particularly in the Eastern 
Caribbean ) during the Cricket World Cup.  He said that 
while the APIS system would enhance security for air and 
cruise passengers, there remained a critical gap in CARICOM's 
ability to monitor private boat traffic. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Econoff reiterated that Secretary Chertoff had 
taken CARICOM's concerns back to Washington to relay them to 
the appropriate entities.  He noted, however, that the lack 
of a formal Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with Jamaica 
made logistics more difficult.  Ambassador Johnson pointed 
out that formal SOFAs had facilitated the dispatch of United 
States assets to the Pacific after the 2004 tsunami and that 
if disaster assistance was requested during Cricket World 
Cup, contingency operations could be more easily and rapidly 
effected with a SOFA already in place.  The Ambassador gave 
Phillips a draft of the diplomatic notes that were provided 
to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) 
on October 23 (reftel).  Phillips agreed to give the matter 
priority attention.  He did not think that such an agreement 
would require Parliamentary approval, but stated that he 
would respond formally once he had confirmed this. 
 
-------------- 
CODIS database 
-------------- 
 
¶15. (U) NAS Lewis returned to the Permanent Secretary an 
executed copy of the Memorandum of Understanding between the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation and the GOJ to implement the 
CODIS DNA-sharing database. 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
¶16. (SBU) Now is an ideal time to engage aggressively with 
Peter Phillips on any areas of mutual benefit.  While always 
an intelligent and useful contact, Phillips has not always 
"followed through."  With the considerable regional resource 
needs for Cricket World Cup, however, he is more receptive 
than ever.  Pushing for execution of a Status of Forces 
Agreement, GOJ assistance with CARICOM partners on the 
Initiative to Combact Illicit trafficking of Arms, 
cooperation on the thorny deportee issue, and Phillips' 
support to combat corruption are all more possible now than 
in the past.  It should be remembered, however, that if 
Phillips "comes through" in some of these areas, he likely 
will come back to the USG looking for some favors of his own; 
 
most probably, this could involve some form of maritime 
platform for the Cricket World Cup.  End comment. 
Johnson