Wikibangarang nightmare
Some political spinners dismiss the WikiLeaks cables as insignificant because, they say, the correspondence does not reflect the official policy of the US government, but just what certain US government staffers are thinking. But isn't it important to know what our allies think of us, whether they think we are being honest or corrupt? Diplomatic staff are trained to be good judges of character, and to be insightful and incisive in their analysis. It will always be useful to know what is on their minds.
The leaked cables are important for other reasons. Local politicians may say one thing in Parliament or from a political platform, but quite another in private. The public persona of every politician is that he/she is honest and straight, supports law and order, and has the best interests of the country at heart; but too many are in it only for themselves, and have their underworld connections. If WikiLeaks can help to expose two-facedness and duplicity, it will have served a good purpose.
I have been reading some of these cables. In one of them, a Cabinet minister in the present Government is trying to explain to the US chargé d'affaires why the timing of the extradition request for Christopher 'Dudus' Coke was "extremely delicate" because of the economic crisis facing Jamaica, and why current economic conditions make this extradition request "politically difficult".
economic crises
The Cabinet had met three times the previous week in an effort to meet the conditions of the IMF for assistance to Jamaica. The Jamaican economy had lost 30,000 to 40,000 jobs in the recession, and remittances were in decline. This extradition had '"special significance" in light of the poverty and economic crises experienced by Jamaica in the 1970s and '80s'; the formal economy had been unable to offer jobs and, therefore, many marginalised Jamaicans had been forced to turn to the informal economy to survive.
The Cabinet minister continued to argue that Jamaica had become a "channel" for illegal drugs in high demand in North America and Europe, and Jamaicans had become "vulnerable" and drugs/arms trafficking had become "embedded". Coke was not just an alleged "drug kingpin"; he was a powerful figure embedded in the critical socio-economic needs of many Jamaicans. If Coke were arrested, this might be perceived as unjust by many Jamaicans, resulting in an uproar, which could end up destabilising the country.
In my opinion, one can reasonably infer that the stability of the Jamaican state is subject to the maintenance of the underground economy, which is partly funded from the proceeds of drug trafficking and gunrunning.
In this WikiLeaks cable, the US chargé d'affaires responds to the Cabinet minister that the US government was concerned that whole communities had become dependent on trafficking in drugs and firearms.
The senior government and party official went on to say that many Jamaicans had been denied basic necessities by the "circumstances of birth", and that the Government of Jamaica must "establish equity".
inequalities
In my view, the Cabinet minister is right: the social and economic inequalities in Jamaica are profound, and are woven into the fabric of Jamaican society; the central task of Government in post-Independence Jamaica must be to "establish equity", but by improving education and training and the like, not by establishing political garrisons, and winking at the underground economy.
Frankly, I am appalled at the arguments and the reasoning put forward by this Cabinet minister. This sort of talk supports the characteri-sation of Jamaican political parties as the gangs of Gordon House. Since the stability of the economy of the country depends upon the underground economy, could we ever expect the Government to seriously try to put a stop to it? Do our politicians rejoice at every shipment of cocaine intercepted, and at every ganja field burnt, or do they lament the loss of jobs and income to poor, suffering, unequal Jamaicans?
I wish the whole cable, including his name could be published, but our archaic libel laws will not allow. Somehow he must be required to explain his actions.
This Cabinet minister was not a lone wolf, sneaking a meeting with a foreign diplomat; his entourage included his junior minister and his permanent secretary. No wonder the US government feared that the Jamaican State has been captured by drug dealers and other criminals.
One leader promised "bangarang", and the other promised the "worst nightmare". They have both got their wish.
Keep the WikiLeaks stories coming!
Peter Espeut is a sociologist and Roman Catholic deacon. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.