1) The document discusses the case of Christopher "Dudus" Coke, a powerful and controversial drug dealer in Jamaica who evaded extradition to the United States, sparking clashes in West Kingston. 2) It describes differing views on Coke - some see him as a criminal supporting violence and drug trafficking, while others argue he provides services where the government fails. 3) The document also briefly discusses election issues in Jamaica, the UK, and Antigua, noting anomalies in the voting process and outcomes in all three locations.

1. Dudus, Elections and More
The law of probability suggests that in all likelihood, this month Caribbean
Focus would talk about the almighty, the all powerful, the lawless—yes, you guessed
it—Christopher Dudus Coke! Let’s hear it: three cheers for Mr. Coke. Can I state
from the outset, that the views expressed in this column are not necessarily my own
views or the views of the Vine Magazine or even the views of the dog who donned his
placard vowing his willingness to die for Mr. Dudus.
They are the views of a cross section of individuals who for whatever reason
have thought it necessary to solicit my views and verdict on the Dudus case. You
know Jamaicans already: somebody has to be judge and jury to execute punishment
where it is deserving. But why ask me; what would I know?
“Well,” I ventured on one such occasion when confronted with the question,
“He is a criminal and he can’t just be left to do what he wants. It’s people like him
why people don’t want to go to Jamaica.”
“Now, Joy, me and you always think differently about some things,” my friend
who questioned me responded. I could hear the tone of rebuke in his voice. “This guy
is doing things for the people that the government of Jamaica is not doing,” my friend
went on.
“Yes, but he is a criminal!” I retorted. “He’s a drug dealer and a murderer and
it’s not right, so how could you even say that?”
I could feel an argument brewing but my friend stood by his guns—pardon the
pun! “This guy is a powerful guy,” he told me.
That I could not dispute. Sure, it’s power: one man holding the country to
ransom and creating havoc and disruption in so many arenas.
Now, my friend expressing these views may be able to dance reggae, but he has
never been to Jamaica and so West Kingston to him is little more than a theory. I
therefore decided it was safe to discard his views and leave him to theorise on his
own. As I sat to put these thoughts down on paper, I soon discovered that these views
went beyond my friend and the people I had seen demonstrating on television. Just
search for Christopher Coke on facebook! Say no more.
But it wasn’t long before I was again drawn on the issue. This time I was
trapped in a car with some other friends on a trip to London. There was no getting
away.
“Have you been following the Dudus story?” my Caucasian friend asked—he at
least had been to Jamaica before, though I doubt ever to West Kingston.
“There’s nothing to follow,” I said in a bad mood.
My friend was not daunted. “Do you think America will take over?” he asked.
“I doubt that very much,” I told him. “I think they know not to mess with
Jamaicans.”
“Well, what about the soldiers? Do you think they will take over—like a coup?”
“Look,” I told him sternly. “Everyday it’s a crisis in Jamaica—from one crisis to
the next—the soldiers have never taken over and they will not take over now. Just
watch, this issue will pass just like any other.”
My friend went on to give his little treatise on corruption, the need to knock
West Kingston down and rebuild it afresh and his general manifesto to revamp
Jamaica. I left him to exposit his ideas even as my mind travelled to the corruption on
our doorstep here in the UK. With the UK elections recently over, there were cries in
all quarters that many people were not able to vote because of certain anomalies in
polling stations. There were no guns or wars here but the upheavals and sense of

2. disruption in people’s lives no less daunting as many people across the UK are
increasingly living in fear of losing their jobs as they wait with bated breath to see
what will unfold as policies from the new, historic coalition government.
And across the seas, once again in the Caribbean, news out of Antigua is that the
results of their 2009 general elections have been overturned, forcing three of the
ruling party—UPP—MPs, including Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, to give up their
constituency seats or for by-elections to be called in those constituencies or for a new
general election. The final outcome or the next step will be decided at a court hearing
in late June.
The defeated ALP brought the charges against the UPP over some of the same
type of election day anomalies that occurred here in the UK, such as the official
closing time of polling stations. Whereas in Antigua, people were apparently allowed
to vote after the official 6 p.m. closing deadline, in the UK even though people were
actually in some polling stations queuing before the 10 p.m. closing time, at the stroke
of 10, they were told it’s all over and granting permission for them to cast their votes
would be illegal.
So it seems to be a messy state of affairs in all quarters. I’d say that the world as
a global village needs to get its house in order. And as the media eye roves around
picking up issues here and there, my prediction was correct: issues will come, capture
media attention and then pass as we all focus on the next hype. Jamaican newspapers
are talking about last month’s upheavals in West Kingston; Antigua has switched to
other issues until things heat up again for the June 29 court hearing and no one is
really clamouring here in the UK to find out when the results of the investigations into
the election day proceedings will be revealed.
In the deliberations about Dudus, I vaguely remember someone suggesting
perhaps he can run for the post of Prime Minister since he has done so much for the
people of Tivoli! Now that would grab attention for quite some time and certainly I’d
get my ears bent out of shape listening to it all and being forced to give some
commentary on the whole scenario! It would be my turn to seek asylum, perhaps in
whatever haven that Mr. Coke still inhabits today.