'It's too late to influence G-G'

Seaga

EVEN AS he heads into talks with Prime Minister P.J. Patterson today, Opposition Leader Edward Seaga is maintaining his objection to the method of appointing the Commission of Enquiry into the recent violence in West Kingston.

He has also stepped up his criticism of Governor-General, Sir Howard Cooke, who he accused of not being able to oppose Prime Minister Patterson. In an interview yesterday, Mr. Seaga insisted that in appointing the Commission, Sir Howard should not have only held talks with the Prime Minister, but should have consulted widely with himself as well as members of civil society.

"It is now too late to influence his (Governor-General) mind on changing any of the commissioners," Mr. Seaga said. "The Governor-General has refused to see me because he cannot give in to changing anything the Prime Minister wants."

The Opposition Leader has argued that in appointing the commissioners, the law allows the Governor-General to hold consultations with other persons other than the Prime Minister. However, he claims that Sir Howard failed to have consultations with him on the composition of the Commission, despite several requests for him to do so.

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has since criticised the appointment of Rev. Dr. Garnett Brown as one of the commissioners, claiming that he is loyal to the governing People's National Party (PNP). They have also questioned his record on speaking out on human rights issues.

Letters obtained by The Gleaner show the exchange between Mr. Seaga and the Governor-General leading up to the appointment of the Commission. On August 8, Sir Howard wrote to Mr. Seaga informing him that the commissioners were former Federal Court of Canada judge Justice Julius Alexander Isaac, sociologist Dr. Hya-cinthe Ellis and head of the Church of God in Jamaica, the Rev. Dr. Garnet Brown.

According to Mr. Seaga's response, the Governor-General's correspondence came while the Opposition Leader was still waiting on a meeting between both of them.

"I am extremely disappointed that persons already publicly announced by the Prime Minister as commissioners of the Commission of Enquiry have been accepted by you for appointment without consultation with me as promised," the Opposition Leader saidt.

He continued: "As Leader of the Opposition, I hold a constitutional office which demands that you as Her Majesty's Representative accord every respect due to the Office."

In his interview with The Gleaner, Mr. Seaga suggested that the recent violence which left 27 people dead, including two members of the security forces, was politically directed and that the Commission of Enquiry was rigged to suit the 'election agenda.'

"Somebody at the top is responsible and I am not proposing to see this enquiry end at the first rung of the ladder," Mr. Seaga insisted.

Both Mr. Seaga and Prime Minister Patterson are set to meet at Vale Royal today. The meeting was brokered by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, which has been trying to get both sides talking since the outbreak of violence in the city's west end over three months ago.

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