KINGSTON, Jamaica:
The Government is steering clear of developments concerning the sudden retirement of Police Commissioner Owen Ellington.
In the latest development, The Gleaner reported this morning that it appears that the Government may have been forced to ensure that Ellington leaves the Jamaica Constabulary Force because of international pressure.
This includes the possibility of the withdrawal of critical financial support by the United States because of its concern about extra-judicial killings by the police.
This morning, The Gleaner’s reporter raised the matter at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing.
However, the Minister with responsibility for information, Sandrea Falconer was reserved in her comment.
Pressed about reports of the revocation of the visa of outgoing commissioner Ellington, Falconer said that question should be directed to him.
In a statement on Monday, the National Security Minister reported that Ellington said he was leaving the force so that the Independent Commission on Investigations could investigate the so called death squad allegations without the appearance of interference.
The death squad probe relates to the investigation of extra-judicial killings by police personnel.
Ellington has also said he wanted to leave the force before the start of the Commission of Enquiry into the 2010 Tivoli operations by the security forces into west Kingston.
Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
Hit hard by the severity of pressures being applied by significant international partners, the Portia Simpson Miller administration might have been forced to ensure that Police Commissioner Owen Ellington be immediately stripped of his position, following a series of alleged mishaps in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), according to Gleaner sources.
The threatened withdrawal of critical financial support by at least one of three major international partners is apparently one of the factors which led to the end of Ellington’s tenure with the Force which he has served as top cop for the last four years.
Christopher Degnan, the Public Affairs Officer at the United States Embassy in Kingston, confirmed that his Government harboured intention of taking strong action in response to reports of extrajudicial killings and warned that it was watching developments in Jamaica with a keen eye.
“The US assistance in support of the JCF is under review because of allegations of JCF involvement in extrajudicial killings,” said Degnan in an emailed response to Gleaner queries.
“We encourage the Government of Jamaica to investigate these allegations and ensure that any and all perpetrators of alleged gross violations of human rights are brought to justice,” he added.
United States, Canada and the United Kingdom have, for years, been generous partners in Jamaica’s crime-fighting programme.
The British High Commission stated that it was not contemplating any withdrawal of support at this time. “We value our cooperation with the Jamaican government on security and justice issues … (and) that support continues,” said Samara South, public relations officer at the Kingston-based British High Commission.
The international partners reportedly served notice that they were serious, arguing that they would waste no time in withholding financial support that would normally boost crime-fighting initiatives, and in so doing, ease the pressure from the cash-strapped Portia Simpson-led Government.
It was Peter Bunting, the man the Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller appointed as her national security minister two and a half years ago, who was called upon to drop the bombshell to an unsuspecting nation earlier this week. It’s understood that for several months, Jamaica’s international partners in the fight against rampaging criminality had taken strong interest in local security issues. They are reportedly concerned about the operation of informal death squads in parts of the country.
The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) has confirmed that 10 cops who are alleged to be members of a death squad have been hauled before the court for their alleged criminal involvement.
Ellington spent his last day at the office on Monday, but the day and his career – spanning 34 years – ended abruptly after a meeting at Kings House.
In a statement that only served to heighten speculation and raised eyebrows, Bunting on Monday stated that he had been advised “of a request” by Ellington of his intention to retire from his post on completion of vacation leave due to him. Bunting stated that Ellington would proceed on leave on July 1, which left police personnel taken aback.
Eyebrows were also raised when the reason proffered by Ellington for his sudden departure was based on the need to separate himself from the leadership and management of the Force prior to the commencement of the upcoming commission of enquiry into the conduct of the operations of the security forces in Western Kingston and other areas during the limited State of Emergency in 2010. He also stated that he believed it would allow INDECOM, to conduct its investigation into allegations of police-involved killings in Clarendon (some of which occurred during his tenure) without any perception of influence or interference on his part.
So Met are they assuming that Ellington knew about the killings but do noting about it? It’s serious because they take away is visa they are afraid he might run
Everything done in the dark must come to light…seet deh now…
LOOK LIKE SOMEBODY AGO KILL HIMSELF BY TOMORROW MORNING. Time to pay the piper BUNTING is next don’t think because you where the the one to deliver the message of the investigation means you are excluded. This is what happens when a country fails to seek independence by educating it’s people or putting them to work. I hope some of you will be going to prison, that place was not ment for dogs.
no only kartel
Bwoy, yuh sound like you are on crack. What the hell yuh talking about. Yuh sound really confuse and disoriented.
nothing strange around here :ngakak dedin
Mi aguh out on a limb here….. Mi nuh put nothing past d batty man dem, a gooda all dem mek d man affi resign tru church ppl dem march fi demonstrate against repealing d buggery law…all a dat to yuh stay deh, a nuh just extra judicial killings nothing, I strongly believe seh d gays dem have a hand in his resignation. I commend Mr. Ellington on a good well done, to my knowledge he is one of the best Commish in the history of JA.
Man can’t fly. Now the gays have something to do with police killing innocent youths. Don’t worry met do REMEMBER when you dig a pit for a man make sure you dig two. No way will you get any stripes as a good cop. You only police on speculations and never do any investigations. You suppose to feel like your world is closing in on you, well you have a personal hand gun you can put it to good use. One victim self inflicted, do yourself a favor and join the rest of corrupt cops that kill themself since the year started.
Das what happen to kartel when him kill lizard him figet fi open him cell
Don’t worry met time longer than rope. This is the beginning you soon start cry shame on your leaders. And we will see if people are going to feel the same when they find out about all the HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS that have taken place. More to come met……..to be continued……………………..
Shame deh pan dem long time this is nothing new
But I do recall the commish saying in an interview on tvj that the allegations first came to him about the death squadso he had initial knowledge he didn’t hide that something smells foul I read the public defender’s report on tg and knew the US wouldn’t have taken the allegations lightly! Take about international pressure I think commish dida good job but we should remember he was accountable to higher!
America have no business ina Jamaica affairs so mi really disgusted bout that part
Rassclaat ace returns loll
him a look fi blood and kartel a nuh lizard
Met how u doing long time lol! anyway mi feel the same about USA involvment in JA government affair…o wait no dem a di world police. Every country has good and bad cops and even if u know or not of some criminal happenings while in office, the ultimate person held responsible is the man incharge. Now most good leaders know that they would need to step aside by will or force for real justice to serve. What i do know is that Jamaica is under heavy preasure fi mek our laws be their laws. Even if the comish guilty a some wrong doing it cannot reverse how much good he has done for Jamaica on a hold.
All that is hidden is going to be revealed. Today for him tomorrow for you and the rest of us. Repent, if possible mend fences and always try to serve God.
Hey met I see you trying to do what the JCF tried and that is to put the blame on others for the shit that they did. Why shouldn’t America, English, and Canada want to know about the way in which their money is going when they give it to the jamaican government. And why wouldn’t they get involved when they where the ones to give jamaican police the guns to destroy so many lives in Western Kingston.
And met I did tell you that I wasn’t going to be on your self hatred of your own people site. I said I was going to finish school I did and you and your puppets are still here trying to be relevant. You no see the traffic on your site is going down down down. If you and the ones talking bout he was a good cop wait until the big fish get thrown in the pot and the hot oil reach him/her nasty ass. Wonder if this one have access to friends with boat to leave the island.
Any school u claim to finish u need fi go back. Yuh nuh know nothing about JMG’s traffic absolutely nothing so don’t make your stupid self into a bigger fool than you already are. How u can talk shit so I really find it amazing smh
Ace u know that if I was to go to someone’s house n them show mi bad face mi nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh go back worse if mi see say is a dutty yawd is wat happen to ur shame tree???? Mi understand say u lonely with u boo in jail n all but them have counsel groups fi ppl like u eno check it out man
U read wha him say really good?
BLOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!!!!!!! (Nene Leakes voice)
Met a so when dem nah do good dem surmise say everybody else nah do good either, it’s a common symptom of small minded ppl poor thing
Im in the middle of redesigning the platform so it will load easier and quicker because of the traffic problems . Him swear a ellington put kartel behind bars so him hot fi di man. I swear Kartel mus did a sleep wid him
Must him must did have dealings with evil Kartel fi true kmt
met lollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll………………………no man a cyaan laff………………….met u fi tap it enuh ………………………das y u man beenie man teeth dem rotten……………………………………….hahahhahahahhaha a cyaan laff tek time wid ace pls a bare bad prayer a tek plc becuz a wah reach kartel………………………………kartel wrong n it dunn
Him fi go pray under kartel because a desso him ting set up. Imagine him go start pan ellington not fi di people dem whey dead a tivoli and some were innocent..but sake a kartel making it seem as if kartel innocent and ellington a di villan? Ace must be one a kartel man dem