The Dudus Connection

Dudus - photo Sunday Herald

Things are starting to unravel in Jamaica, as the drug money link between dons and politicians,  starts to get the media attention it deserves.

The United States want Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke – the notorious don man of Tivoli Gardens, West Kingston for trafficking drugs and guns.   But will the ruling Jamaica Labour Party give him up?

The connections are many.   They are outlined here and include,

a construction company called Incomparable Enterprises, where Dudus is a partner was awarded three govt contracts by the JLP valued at $ US  400 thousand.

Another contract worth a $US 150,000 contract, was given to transport materials to Riverton City landfill.

Dudus heads up the entertainment company Presidential Click which organises the very popular Champions In Action event.

Police say that Dudus also owns several residences, including this house in Plantation Heights, Red Hills, St Andrew.

This is Dudus's house in Red Hills- looks real nice

This house is a far cry from the living conditions of the residents of Tivoli Gardens, people are said to fear him and love him.  I’ve written more about passa passa in this blog post - a dance he keeps which is not subject to the 2am noise laws.

Conditions in Tivoli are not so lavish- photo by miss patricia

The former national security minister – Peter Phillips from the opposition Peoples’ National Party has spoken up on the issue, predictably saying the government should give Dudus to the Americans.

So what’s stopping them?  Dudus’s money has bought him alot of power in the JLP, will it be enough to protect him?

 

Jamaica’s Dons

Jamaica’s dons represent a contradiction.  To be feared and respected at the same time.  Community leaders and criminals.  The don of Tivoli Gardens allows Passa Passa the weekly dancehall night to take place in an area often in the grip of gang warfare .  Here you can see the party and yes the dancefloor has the main road running through the middle!  One time when I was there, an army truck filled with armed soldiers passed through which was a little surreal.

Now even the government are having to recognise their power.  With the continued rise in the crime rate and with government policy fast running out of ideas, the Public defender Earl Witter has suggested including the dons in the consultation process to sort out what to do about it.  Find out more about this here….