The Gleaner NA 20211001

A FORMER American ambassador to Jamaica says the note on the new one-year US visa issued last week to Cabinet Minister Daryl Vaz is an attempt by the United States to cover up its wrong against the politician. Donald Tapia was speaking to The Sunday Gleaner a day after Vaz received the visitor’s visa with a rare waiver that reads: “212(SMALL D) (3) (A)WAIVER of 212 (A) (2C) (1). Under US immigration law, 212 (A) (2C) (1) speaks to controlled substance traffickers. Vaz has denied any wrongdoing. Tapia, whose stint in Jamaica ended in January, said the granting of the visa was the US doing the right thing and that the notation was merely to avoid admitting to an error in its initial determination. “Nobody wants to admit when they’re wrong. They’re government employees. You don’t want tomake a mistake if you’re gonna get promoted … . If you made the wrong decision, you try to cover it up a little bit, you won’t admit it,” he said. Tapia expects a removal of the annotation in the next five years and said Vaz is due to get a five-year diplomatic visa shortly. Tapia explained that he played no role in the revocation decision andwas only informed by embassy officials shortly after taking up his post in Kingston in August 2019, that action was looming against Vaz and Phillip Paulwell, a law- maker from the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP). THE WEEKLY GLEANER | OCTOBER 1 - 31, 2021 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 2 Youngsters display their skateboarding skills on Second Street in Trench Town, St Andrew, onWednesday. Scores of children were given skateboards in June by a volunteer at Boys’ Town who has often sought to have students involved in extracurricular activities. RUDOLPH BROWN/PHOTOGRAPHER arge of the Jamaica Defence ATTORNEYS PROVIDING legal aid for accusedmem- bers of the UchenceWilson Gang were paid a total of $55 million last year, Justice Minister Delroy Chuck disclosed in Parliament recently. “If we continue at that rate, the estimate is that the One Don trial will cost the Government $50 million,” Chuck said of the major gang trial now under way before the Home Circuit Court. One Don is a breakaway faction of feared Clansman Gang based in St Catherine. The disclosure was made while Chuck discussed proposed changes to the Legal Aid Amendment Regulation 21 in Gordon House. The regulations, among other things, set out new legal aid fees to be paid to attorneys. Highlighting the monetary constraints in paying attorneys their worth, Chuck said if the Government paid what the attorneys were requesting, one trial could use up the legal aid budget passed by the Lower House. LEGAL BILL FOR GANG TRIAL COULD COST TAXPAYERS $50M FORMER US AMBASSADOR TAPIA SAYS MINISTER TO GET FIVE-YEAR DIPLOMATIC VISA SHORTLY THE PEOPLE’S National Party’s (PNP) executive committee said that it has expelled activist Karen Cross from the party with imme- diate effect. The committee, in a release last week, said that it came to the deci- sion “having received and consid- ered the report of the disciplinary committee, and in accordance with Section 260 of the Party’s Constitution”. The committee said that this actionwas taken at its meet- ing held on Monday, September 27. Cross had accused the party’s gen- eral secretary Dr Dayton Campbell of sexual assault on social media. However, despite making a for- mal statement to the police, the Jamaica Constabulary Force said that Cross neither provided any evidence nor was able to provide any person interested in making a complaint against Campbell. Cross and others also protested outside the party’s Old Hope Road head- quarters last Thursday, calling for a change of leadership in the party. PNP EXPELS MEMBER KAREN CROSS COMMODORE ANTONETTEWemyss Gorman is to become Jamaica’s first woman Chief of Defence Staff next January. She will succeed Lieutenant General Rocky Meade who retires after 38 years in the army. General Meade was appointed Chief of Defence Staff on December 1, 2016. A release from the Office of the Prime Minister said Wemyss Gorman, 48, will be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral for her appointment as army chief. She was among three senior JDF officers who were interviewed by the Defence Board. She will succeed Lieutenant General Rocky Meade who will be retiring after 38 years in the army. General Meade was appointed Chief of Defence Staff on December 1, 2016. A release from the Office of the Prime Minister said Wemyss Gorman, 48, will be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral for her appointment as army chief. JAMAICA GETS FIRST WOMAN CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF Tapia NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED