VZCZCXYZ0024
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKG #0276 0922001
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 012001Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6141
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000276 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/LP (BOZZOLO) AND WHA/CAR (TILGHMAN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: JM KCOR KCRM PREL SNAR
SUBJECT: JAMAICA:  NON-PAPER REGARDING 2008 DEMARCHE ON 
MAJORS LIST OBJECTIVES 
 
REF: (A) KINGSTON 264 AND (B) KINGSTON 273 
 
The following is the text of the non-paper left with the 
Ministers of National Security and Finance with respect to 
2008 Majors List benchmarks: 
 
  NON-PAPER 
 
MARCH 26, 2008 
 
SUBJECT:  USG AND GOJ NARCOTICS CONTROL OBJECTIVES FOR 2008 
 
Each year, we are required by U.S. law to assess progress 
made by major drug transit and/or producer countries with 
respect to international narcotics control objectives. 
Jamaica is considered a major producer of cannabis and a 
major transit country for cocaine. 
 
Cooperative anti-drug programs have proven their value, and 
the most powerful defense against the drug trade is political 
will ) if political will is weak, corruption soon sets in. 
Corruption undermines the rule of law, puts democratic 
government in jeopardy, and sabotages cooperative efforts 
against drug trafficking. 
 
We would like to engage with you in a dialogue regarding 
counter-narcotics objectives for the near term, and to 
present counter-narcotics benchmarks that, if met, will be 
given due consideration by the U.S. in evaluating compliance 
with goals and objectives of the 1988 UN Convention and our 
bilateral counter-narcotics agreement.  We will continue our 
dialogue with you on this subject throughout the year. 
 
Jamaica, the Caribbean's largest producer of marijuana, has a 
coastline that is difficult to patrol, as well as over 100 
unmonitored airstrips, busy commercial and cruise ports which 
combine to make it an attractive transit country for cocaine. 
 Working with the new government to implement reforms within 
the Ministry of National Security, such as fighting internal 
corruption and developing a rational training and assignment 
process for the JCF, will contribute greatly in the fight 
against drug trafficking. 
 
The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) should increase interdiction 
activities by making key arrests of drug traffickers and 
dismantling at least one major trafficking organization. 
 
The GOJ should implement reform recommendations of the 
Ministry of National Security's Strategic Review of the JCF, 
including the ability to dismiss and prosecute corrupt police 
officers regardless of rank; and the vetting of both current 
officers and new recruits. 
 
The GOJ should undertake thorough investigations into 
allegations of police corruption, regardless of rank, and 
create a special prosecutor for public corruption cases. 
 
It is important to pass legislation to create the National 
Independent Investigative Agency (NIIA) to coordinate 
investigations of public corruption for action by the new 
Anti-Corruption Special Prosecutor.  Ideally, the NIIA will 
combine tax, the Financial Investigations Division (FID), 
police investigators, and intelligence analysts under one 
umbrella organization. 
 
Jamaica should participate in at least one regional drug 
interdiction exercise, to promote counter-narcotics 
cooperation in the Caribbean. 
 
The GOJ should strengthen and ensure the independence of the 
FID through passage of the FID Act, which will permit Jamaica 
to join the Egmont Group and allow for greater data sharing 
between the U.S. and Jamaica on money laundering 
investigations. 
 
The GOJ is encouraged to continue to move forward 
expeditiously on pending extraditions of wanted criminals in 
the United States.  Such cooperation exemplifies the level of 
bilateral cooperation on law enforcement. 
 
JOHNSON