Extradition of Slum Lord, Christopher 'Dudus' Coke to U.S. Sparks Sporadic Gun Violence in Kingston, St. Andrew

The fallout continues with the Jamaican government and reputed don Christopher "Dudus" Coke. Prime Minister Bruce Golding has implemented a limited state of emergency in Kingston and St. Andrew. I am appalled but not surprised that so many residents of Tivoli Gardens, Dudus' stronghold would rather give their lives for him than turn him in to the police. What I find equally shocking is how little regard the armed thugs have for law enforcement and that they are armed with high-powered weapons, overpowering the police in some cases. For example, two policemen were killed and six injured after they came to the aid of a female motorist. According to the Jamaica Observer, the woman turned up at Rockfort Police Station to report that she was shot and injured in a busy intersection located in St. Andrew. She also reported that another motorist had also been attacked at the same location. The cops then became stranded on the grounds of nearby Excelsior High School after being trapped by the gunmen. Er, how do you allow yourself as law enforcement officers to be boxed in by criminals, repeatedly?

The police are saying, however, Monday is calmer, though it's far too early in the day to reach that conclusion. There was sporadic gunfire on Sunday and people saw men with high-powered weapons roaming the streets and on roof tops. I was equally appalled to learn that the Hannah Town Police Station was set on fire. How does one get so close to a police station, set it on fire and no-one saw anything?

The reality is that Jamaica needs America's help to capture this man. Failure to do so in a timely fashion will lead to more chaos, lawlessness, gun violence, looting and deaths in the streets of Kingston and St. Andrew. Prime Minister Bruce Golding is in for a whipping in the news media. This will sound the death-knell to his political career. He handled the Dudus extradition poorly from the start. Anyone in their right mind knows that urban warfare takes more than cops parading on the streets to combat. Jamaica needs help and PM Golding should call for assistance from the US and/or Great Britain's Scotland Yard immediately. The bottom line is that Jamaica is a good place, with decent people, who are just trying to survive, with some really bad elements, like Dudus, who need to be eradicated. The island deserves a whole lot better from its elected officials and the corruption within the ranks of the police must be addressed with zero tolerance.

From the Jamaica Information Services Prime Minister Bruce Golding issues statement:

"I appeal to all law-abiding citizens to remain calm and support these necessary measures. My government is determined that Jamaica must be a land of peace, order and security," Mr. Golding stated. Based on information from the security forces that actions were being carried out, which pose significant threats to law and order in the Corporate Area, Cabinet today advised the Governor-General to issue a proclamation declaring the State of emergency.

"Since this morning, violent, orchestrated attacks have been launched on a number of police stations. Two members of the security forces have been shot and injured," Mr. Golding noted, describing the situation as "a calculated assault on the authority of the state that cannot be tolerated, and will not be allowed to continue."