Written By Karyl Walker for the Jamaica Observer
IN the 1990s the modern political thug had evolved into a lord of the underworld and, for the most part, had stolen the love shown to political representatives by residents of garrison communities.
Politicians and the thugs they supported and used to secure power had had three decades to fine-tune their relationship. By this time, extortion and drug trafficking had become the main money earners for criminal gangs which had less need to feed directly from the political trough.
But there were still areas where gangsters aligned themselves to the dominant party in their garrison communities and, in the process, kept political order.
One gangster who amassed a massive fortune and whose criminal activities created a long list of murder victims was Donovan ‘Bulbie’ Bennett, former leader of the Spanish Town-based Clansman gang.
Bennett was shielded by politicians, despite the protests of a member of parliament.
Just after the December 1944 general elections, former Prime Minister and National Hero, Alexander Bustamante, set the stage for the ‘dog eat dog’ style of Jamaican politics when he rewarded his party’s supporters with jobs, political favours and other scarce benefits.
Since then, the dogfight for political spoils has never ended.
Bulbie, who was born at King Street in the old capital of Spanish Town in 1964, emerged in the 1990s just as former member of parliament for South Central St Catherine, Heather Robinson, was asked to serve in that constituency by the PJ Patterson-led People’s National Party.
During that period, Bulbie was a party strongman, who carried out the bidding of PNP candidate for Central St Catherine, Clinton ‘Jingles’ Davy, who eventually lost in his bid to unseat incumbent member of parliament, Bruce Golding.
Bulbie was Davy’s head honcho who kept order in PNP-aligned communities in the constituency before and after the March 1993 general elections.
Before those elections, a returning officer for South St Catherine was attacked and shot dead. Police say Bulbie and his cronies were suspected to be behind that murder.
When the votes were counted, Robinson had won her seat, but Davy lost by a landslide to Golding. However, victory would prove bittersweet for Robinson when Bulbie and his cronies attached themselves to her political team and began to make several demands.
After summoning the member of parliament to a meeting, Bulbie reportedly told Robinson that his ambition was to be the only don in Spanish Town and its environs. Bulbie reportedly threatened several senior members of the party who were also at the meeting, which was held at Robinson’s constituency office, when he said, “All old don ago dead”.
Out of concern for her party workers, Robinson called up Davy and asked him to intervene and rein in Bennett. But to Robinson’s surprise, her request would be met with a cold response from her former colleague who reportedly told her, “If you won’t feed them, I will”.
Just days after the meeting, Bulbie and his Clansmen made good on his promise and murdered a popular party worker who worked closely with Robinson.
But it was the murder of Derrick Eccleston, also called ‘Puppy String’, that brought Bulbie under the police microscope.
Police say Bulbie gained leadership of the Clansman gang after he and three of his cronies launched a gun attack in the PNP enclave of De La Vega City on Eccleston and a group of persons with whom he was conversing. The attack was the third attempt on Eccleston’s life, and this time Bulbie and his gang were successful. After shooting and wounding Eccleston, Bulbie reportedly went over the wounded man and pumped several shots into him.
After that killing, Bulbie was listed as wanted for murder. His three cronies who had gone with him into De La Vega City that night were held by police and were later convicted and given lengthy prison terms after being found guilty in the High Court.
The men were convicted after an eyewitness gave evidence which implicated Bulbie and his cronies. But Bulbie was never held by the police and continued to trod on his path of destruction and death.
At the time of his death in October 2005, police say they linked Bulbie to at least 80 murders.
Among those killed by Bulbie and his cronies were a number of PNP workers who worked for the bewildered Robinson. At the time the former politician threatened to resign after accusing a PNP councillor of colluding with Bulbie and facilitating garrison politics.
While her workers were being killed like flies, Robinson appealed to her colleagues in Parliament to dismantle tribalism and dismantle the power base of the dons. In an impassioned plea, Robinson told Parliament that she would not hug up criminals and was not able to give birth to a ‘don’.
“In that regard I am truly barren,” Robinson said in the famous speech in Gordon House. “Are there any of us in this House who would dare to go to the constituency that they represent and declare to these number one dons or now super predators, that we are finished with them and no longer need their services?”
She also hit out at the old style of politics.
“Some of the old dogs in our Parliament need to be taught new approaches,” she also said.
But Robinson would come in for a rude awakening as her plea was met with a stony silence and fell on deaf ears. Instead of supporting their colleague in the drive to clean up the political landscape, the politicians ostracised Robinson and treated her like a traitor. In short she got no help and was left out on a limb.
Weeks after that speech, when it was clear that no action would be taken, Robinson resigned from her position in Parliament in May 1996 after three years in the position.
Bulbie, in the meantime, stuck to his goal and continued building his evil empire by snuffing out his rivals and expanding the turf of his Clansman gang.
Soon the Clansman gang would set up bases in Old Harbour, Dam Head, Linstead and other areas of St Catherine and Clarendon.
By the turn of the millennium, Bennett’s criminal empire was worth millions, as he and his gang built a massive extortion racket which targeted fearful business owners and taxi drivers. The main centre of the extortion, according to police, was and still is the Spanish Town municipal bus park.
At the time Bulbie was now a permanent fixture on the police most wanted list, a spot he occupied for the last decade of his life.
But Bulbie’s rise to the top of the dung heap of criminality was not unhindered, as a bitter fight for extortion rights erupted between his PNP-aligned Clansmen and the One Order gang, which supports the Jamaica Labour Party.
The war which ensued resulted in hundreds of lives being snuffed out on both sides of the conflict. While the Clansman has bases in the Rivoli, Lime Tree Grove, Lakes Pen, Jones Avenue, Manchester Avenue, Dam Head, Waterford and Fish Ground communities, the One Order gang’s bases included Tawes Pen, Ellerslie Pen, Dempshire Pen, Shelter Rock and Oxford Road.
By this time, Bulbie was the beneficiary of a multitude of government contracts, even though he was a wanted man. Like most infamous criminals before him, Bulbie had eyes and ears in the security forces and managed to elude many police dragnets.
In 2001, police suspect that he briefly fled from authorities in Kingston to Great Britain under a false identity.
But like most before him, Donovan ‘Bulbie’ Bennett would not live to a ripe old age and enjoy the benefits of his ill-gotten gains.
On October 30, 2005, the security forces swooped down on a palatial residence the nation’s most wanted man had built in the rustic district of Tanaky nestled in the hills of Clarendon.
The police say as they approached the house they were fired on, and during a shoot-out, Bennett and his driver, identified only as ‘Nathan’, were killed.
Police say they found Bulbie clutching a .50 Desert Eagle pistol, which is valued at US$2,000 and a Ruger pistol from his driver. A quantity of cash and a large cache of jewellery were also found in the house.
At the time of his death, Bulbie’s wealth was estimated at over $100 million.
Days after Bulbie’s death, the head of the St Catherine Central police division, Superintendent Kenneth Wade, blasted PNP politicians for assisting Bennett who, he said, was given political support and supplied with information while he operated in areas dominated by the party.
During the days following his death, members of Bulbie’s gang and persons who were loyal to him rioted by blocking roads, firing on the Spanish Town Police Station and burning T-shirts with the image of former National Security Minister Dr Peter Phillips.
Yes Met Mi love when you post dem don story ya , keep it coming!
So he was living a lavish lifestyle,worth over $100 mil and i bet the foot soldiers couldnt even provide for there family smfh
All theclans man and one order remember this you live to kill you will get killed.so prepare your spot too at the burial ground.
Met I am so glad for your unbiased account of these tyrants reign over our beautiful island. So informative and accurate. I remember going to high school and there were days when students from Spanish town could not come to school bcuz the fighting was so bad. The countless shooting in the bus park in bright daylight.
Tweety morning not me oo a someone submit this :peluk
No Words, Just none. These politicians!! I am weak after reading this, just weak. These monsters.
Dutty politician dem fi dead tuh
Met good journalism da one yah nuh miss.
Very accurate
Jj morning oo memba mi doe know nothing bout clans a one a mi regular supporters submit this mi haffi big har up :kiss :peluk
Please don’t stop, let’s shine a light so bright on these hoodlums! Let’s use this forum so that eyes can read and ears can hear, Let’s open every door so that the Politicians know that people of Jamaica are enlighten to these gangbangers and the relationship they have with each other to tear our beautiful island down. The Don in Mandeville has been a strong hold with the PNP, He has gained sooo much money through his relationship with this party hence his company has been the number one contracting company to build infrastructure in Jamaica, His business has out run all the other small business owners. Ohh how my country is full of corruption.
Anon, that one there is as slippery as an eel, if not more.
MET!! Great post as the other bloggers stated. What I want is for the blame of our Islands problems to be shared equally among the politicians and citizens because is ALWAYS police a get blame.
Is time for people to drop the divide and conquer propaganda created by political party affiliation.
Dons aren’t elected officials and elected officials weren’t ordained by GOD, dem is just mere flesh.
Well she did a great job.
:kiss nuff good bloggers bout di place oo
Morning met and meters somebody must send in the full hundred of the order side now that’s another dark and interesting shocking series
Met journalist Karyl Walker wrote the article he had a series in the Obsever on most of Jamaica’s most wanted, very interesting read.
:thumbup
All I can say is, hmmmmm! Morning Met, and beautiful decent bloggers.
I ALWAYS SAY THAT THE TWO WHITE MAN NATIONAL HERO WAS RTHE WORST THING FI JAMAICA. THEY STARTED IT . AND THE FOLLOWERS LEARN FROM THEM AND THATS WHY THE COUNTRY DECOMPOSE NOW. NATIONAL HERO MI ASS. I WISH WE HAD A FEW GOOD MEN TO TYURN VIGILANTE AND PITCH DEM OFF ONE BY ONE A NIGHT TIME. LIKE HOW CHE AND CASTRO AND HIM CREW DID IN THE 50’s. ……………….EVERY MORNING U WAKE UP WE SHOULD HEAR BREAKING NEWS ANOTHER KNOWN POLITICIAN (CRIMINAL) FOUND DEAD. KD , BABSEY ( A SUH THE FART NAME SPELL) CHARLES WHO A RAPE THE COUNTRY FROM HIM HAIR DID HALF AND HALF….INSTEAD A CUT OFF REGULAR PEOPLE HEAD. OH IF GOD WAS LIKE MAN…………………….CRONIXXXXX WEH U DEH U AND THE DREAD DEM WAKE UP AND TAKE OVER JAMAICA FROM BABYLON . IF U GUH AFRICA DEM A GUH ROB U AND U WILL BE HOMELESS !!!!!!!!!
It’s rumored that he did box her at that meeting, and kick her up to, . “Cowboy” was is strong arm, which also becomes is weak arm.
Someone mentioned on this site that Bulbie box Peter Philips (at some meeting in Manchester?) and that was what cause the police to go for his head. I don’t think he box/kick Robinson though.
Bulbie (like Willy Haggart) also had a number of Police on his payroll, but that did not help him in the long run.
Very interesting read, too much corruption going on in such a small island..my God there is no end from generation to generation as one dead five rise. Dese scum of the earth germs used to have me in fear as a child attending high school on St John’s Road. I fear for the future of my country. Keep up the good work Met & thone who contribute facts to enlightened people clueless to the dark side of a beautiful island
Mi had a personal encounter with this bredda ere, an him neva pretty it up one raas. Thing with most Don is the tikki tikki dem keep roun dem fi intimidate. This one neva need dem. He was a serious shotta. Siddung deh wid him BIG machine a gimme instruction. Real badman this.
Him bad yuh up Willy?
Willy, you have to give us the blow by blow about the encounter. How did you have the good fortunes to meet the Don? You cannot leave us hanging. After all, some many people can say they met Bulbie personally?
Him hype did tun up loud to when him carry off the dry eye robbery a d Western Union back inna d days inna Spain
Beautifully written article and most informative.
@Met, am I misreading or did the article say Bulbie was killed by police? Because I could have sworn I read on here that bad man set him up and killed him.
I grew up with Jingles kids when he owned and operated skateland, so it was quite a shock when he was murdered in the streets. I never heard who or why but by the article, he was in collusion with these dons, could have been Bulbie that had him killed.
Someone in Jamaica said when I get my law degree I should come back home and work in politics and I thought okay, possibly. Really? Mi? This coward? Jamaica is a political cesspool, dem sell out Robinson and she almost lost her life for wanting to make a difference.
That is why I only partially blame the US fi go in for Dudus. When Jamaica get cleaned up, it will be the US that cleans it up and they will use to soldiers to turn against the people and it will be hell. But their long standing lawlessness, leaves no other options.
I think Bulbie was just an untouchable for over 10-years that he was wanted man and the Police avoid touching him because of the other police he had on his side who was always leaking information to him. A lot of the Politicians were afraid of this guy and they need him to counteract the other side. What caused Bulbie downfall is he got to big for his own good, not realizing that it would eventually catch up with him. When you are a Don, you have to know how to deal with the MP in a delicate song and dance or they will get cut you down to size when it suits them
my word!!
Wow this is deep.
Good morning met and metters
Yes FOXY…..meeda do some work inna St. Catherine an him sen fi mi. Dem tek mi rouna Riverton guh to him. Di man a seh how work a gwaan an him salary nuh reach! Mi sen awn two time an pack up faas. Ongle travel dem side deh inna nex people cyaar. Straight bad up mi get FOXY.
Met u taking on a serious evolution now… this is a unique and potent form of journalism the people have a voice now I never really liked the Gossipy columns but this site is starting to remind me of a street corner in Jamaica or Foreign where underworld info is shared. ppl know what’s going on but there was no platform for the information to disseminate other than in hush whispers… shine an unbiased light on these cockroaches protect your anonymity and your users and if you are going to keep doing what you are doing careful not to Glorify these ppl cause that’s really what most of them want… to be a legend dead or alive. really they are insecure lil boys and girls who find comfort in numbers and are under the illusion that they’re in a game or a movie. back in the day ruthlessness secured the favor of politicians who would employ the services of these domestic terrorists… that bred the culture of being the bad, mad, sick, terrible, wicked and all these other words we use to describe things we find favor in. Criminals nowadays are not really protected by parties its more of a money thing now they have to pay to have a clear path only the money gangs (young.gen, mandeville, klans, order etc) are surviving or the gangs for hire gangs in places like Mobay. (eg. stone-crusher/unknown). I could speak on a few gangs which operate soley on ruthlesness and fear but they are actually being crushed by law enforcement in JA (also a gang)… these money ones with the most secrecy always gave me the creeps cause you don’t know who is who.
First Clans man topic..not first Jamaican gangster topic
A longtime Met been doing these blogs, but some people just love the suss dem fi chat bout who a tek who fa man and who a breed fi who. JMG has a likkle bit of everything fi everybody. The good bloggers always like these blogs from Met. Met, big up yuhself!
:kiss
Anon must have just start reading over here cause the big story bout all dudus n him cronies drap ova yah whey meck Met HAFFI build new highway n expand road fi DI mount a traffic whey land ova YA a miss u first time or u no too long come?
Morning Metti, me remember when poor Heather Robinson resign. Me did feel sorry for her. A woman of decency couldn’t stand up against the molasses of corruption inna Jamaican Parliment. If some a unnuh know some of the background of the current PM unnuh piss unnuh skin.
Sweet u know mi jus spin ina mi kitchen and remember Portia and dem…dat lady dere I have no words fi she………..
Dem seh Portia did want to put Kartel ova deh but because him disrespect she nuh look
@Sweet been hearing things bout the PM long time. Buss wi nuh!
Crime no pay
You would have to go way back to get the foundation of this PM. Spaldings time. She inna di gun an gangster ting from way back, but seet dere….”CHUSS SISTA P” and that gets this illiterate elected to the highest office….cho!!
Metti, the right honorable distance P was very instrumental in gun distribution from the little office. Blood is on her hands from she inna her 20’s. Starsky is the only name I will call. Me done talk.
Ah nuh one easy woman dat sweets mi know das y mi never yet too too ina she
None of them nuh easy, PNP/ JLP, corruption, and blood link to both sides, them deadly for power, and them don’t care whose head roll, and blood run for it, the big thing was what PJ did to Michael Manley for the party the his own father founded, power is what drives these people, I am surprised that Portia adopted nothing from Michael, as she was under is tutoring, as dunce as she was, she started out as a great leader too, but got corrupted along the way. If you’re not ruthless you can’t stay in politics, Robinson was barking up the wrong tree, she was quite lucky to walk away alive, after she openly defied the organization, they all have a code rule that they are governed by, the gangstas are part of the group, you give them the politician a seat, and you are in their pockets, there are in charge of certain criminal elements, they’re provided with contracts, guns , visas etc. They have regular meetings with these politicians to discuss certain events that’s affecting them being able to carry on their operations, there are police that is affiliated on both sides that is on the pay rolls who takes active parts in these organized crimes, it’s a money making thing, millions of dollars involved, it is not as simple as people on the outside think, these guys does not operate as dons by themselves, they have a boss, which are the members of parliament
Not all Dons can talk directly to the MP or Minister. Only certain Dons have the ear of the MP and should have to have the people skills to talk directly to the MP…yuh can’t bad-up the MP, especially if he controls certain Ministries. Remember, a lot of the smaller Dons report to bigger Dons who have powerful high ranking Police in their corner. For many years, if you were not a “PNP Police”, you could not get any promotion above a certain level within the JCF.
Great article!!! @sweets people ago run mad if dem find out how dirty dem first lady is… just guh Rae town and asked the suffering people, whom feel the hands of mama P!!
lawd god, not to mention Babsy Grange we need a whole day to tell her story!!
Remarkable story. The corrupted politicians helped to facilitate this mayhem. I honestly don’t know how they could sleep and go about their daily lives when their constituents were dropping like flies. I’m wondering though if the gov’t was able to confiscate the ill-gotten loot or did his survivors benefitted? I know it’a a daunting task to totally eliminate corruption but a new Jamaica can work hard to reduce it.
Met mi nah set nutten . Dem politician deh nuh easy . They are the brain of the problems.
Night night met
Big up de sender
:kiss
Clans and one order in a u bumbo, doors soon knock
Babsy grange and buba from one order did deh and and a when she and him a travel a come over den kill him.babsy love bad man always have a one order man
Met do a piece about dutty politicians and currupted police as simple as you see this it can bring about a big change in jamaica if dem nuh try shut dung the site .because everybody from Jamaica especially in the garrisons can give a piece about a political official or police thats involve and call name and put up pictures. Bigga ford fi one nasty bad hired gun,renato adams was bulbie eye n ears him hunt him still but undercover he was his friend.omar davis dutty to the core,harry bungles start it met fi real