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FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0247
INFO EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
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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: 
 
------------- 
 
 
 
¶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 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
 
 
¶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 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶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? 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶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: 
 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶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