Tyrone Reid, Enterprise Reporter

Tavares-finson

King's House has refused to say whether it has formally apologised to Senator Tom Tavares-Finson for incorrectly informing him that it had no record of a pardon being granted to Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

By way of a letter, King's House had told the senator that no such request was ever formally made on behalf of the country's first National Hero, to expunge from the records two convictions for contempt of court on August 5 and September 26, 1929.

But Rose-Marie Gibbs, the governor general's acting secretary, said documents detailing the pardon were subsequently found.

Grave embarrassment

However, Gibbs refused to say where they were found. She also refused to say whether a formal apology has been made for misinforming the senator.

The incorrect information was used by Tavares-Finson in his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate on July 4 and has caused him much embarrassment, The Gleaner has learnt.

During the debate, Tavares-Finson called for a statutory declaration by Parliament to remove the designation of 'convicted criminal' from four National Heroes, including Marcus Garvey.

However, Garvey had already been pardoned in 1987 after the then Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Edward Seaga, petitioned then Governor General, Sir Florizel Glasspole, to posthumously grant the National Hero pardon.

Sources close to the senator told The Gleaner yesterday that since then, Tavares-Finson has been the butt of many jokes among his professional peers and members of the Senate.

The source also revealed that Tavares-Finson had been even reprimanded by the prime minister for the boo-boo.

Due diligence done

In response to a letter to the editor, published in The Gleaner, entitled 'Senator flunks history', Tavares-Finson wrote to The Gleaner declaring that due diligence had been done.

A copy of a letter dated April 9, under the signature of Gibbs, revealed that King's House advised the senator that a search had been done and its records did not reveal that a pardon had been granted.

The letter also stated: "In addition, we have been advised that no such request was ever formally made."

On the contrary, an article published in The Gleaner on August 18, 1987, confirmed that Garvey was post-humously granted pardon.

The article also stated that Seaga made the announcement at Garvey Day ceremonies in St Ann's Bay.

When contacted yesterday, Seaga expressed certainty that the pardon sought by his Cabinet for Garvey was granted.

Tavares-Finson's could not be reached yesterday, as he was said to be abroad on business.

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com