US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON2082

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 002082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD AND J7 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/7/15 
TAGS: PGOV, SOCI, ELAB, JM, Venezuela, Petrocaribe 
SUBJECT: JLP ORCHESTRATES ISLANDWIDE DAY OF PROTEST AGAINST 
GOJ PRICE INCREASES; COINCIDES WITH PETROCARIBE "SUMMIT" 
 
REF: KINGSTON 02053 
 
Classified By: CDA Thomas C. Tighe.  Reasons 1.5(b) and (d). 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (U) On September 6, the opposition Jamaica Labor Party 
(JLP) carried out an island-wide demonstration against the 
People's National Party government, on the same day that 
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson was hosting Venezuelan 
President Hugo Chavez, Cuban President Fidel Castro, and 
senior delegations from CARICOM states, the Dominican 
Republic, and Montserrat for the signing of the PetroCaribe 
agreement.  In much of the capital, streets were empty and 
businesses closed as most residents stayed home while many 
held demonstrations in their communities.  Actions were 
largely peaceful, though sporadic roadblocks, gunshots, and 
violence were reported across the island, and police made 
numerous arrests.  In the aftermath, the JLP announced a 
successful protest, and stands prepared to do it again if the 
GOJ does not respond in a way that addresses the concerns 
that were expressed.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
JLP Calls for Peaceful Protest of Price Increases 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
2. (U) Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) leader Bruce Golding on 
September 4 called for a nationwide day of protest against 
the GOJ, to be held on September 6.  The JLP magnanimously 
announced that it had pushed the protest back by 24 hours, 
not wanting to disrupt the traditional first day of school 
for Jamaican children.  In any event, schools were closed 
nationwide on September 6, disrupting the second day of 
school.  Probably not coincidentally, the JLP protest took 
place on the date of the GOJ-hosted PetroCaribe signing 
summit (septel) in Montego Bay, where Venezuelan President 
Hugo Chavez and Cuban President Fidel Castro were visiting 
with Prime Minister PJ Patterson and government leaders 
representing 16 Caribbean countries. 
 
3. (C) Delroy Chuck, JLP MP and shadow justice minister, told 
Pol/Econ Chief late on September 3 that the JLP leadership 
would meet the following day in the Stony Hill section of 
Kingston to finalize plans for the protest.  Perhaps in a 
moment of unintended candor, Chuck cheerfully acknowledged 
that the JLP had been out of the news lately and needed to 
"remind" voters that it remains a force.  The action, 
explained JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda on September 4, 
was prompted by the GOJ's series of recent price hikes, 
including increases in the general consumption tax (GCT), bus 
fares, water, electricity, and landline telephone service. 
Higher prices have drawn the ire of citizens, especially the 
poor, who have already faced double-digit inflation rates in 
the past two years (reftel).  In a party statement, Golding 
on September 6 called for the protest to be carried out 
"within the law." 
 
--------------------------------------- 
The Capital Shuts Down, Violence Flares 
--------------------------------------- 
 
4. (U) In Kingston, traffic was very light throughout the day 
on September 6, a sign that those residents who were not 
demonstrating had chosen to stay at home, either out of 
solidarity with protesters, or out of fear for their own 
safety.  Some people, including Embassy employees, reported 
setting out for work only to find their route obstructed by 
manned roadblocks, forcing them to return home.  The result 
was a capital that appeared largely deserted, with businesses 
shuttered for most of the day, if they opened at all, and few 
cars on the road. 
 
5. (U) The media reported isolated incidents of vigorous and 
often dangerous demonstrations around the island, including 
burning roadblocks and gunfire that The Jamaica Gleaner 
newspaper described as "mayhem" and "pandemonium."  Police 
reported the arrests of 35 protesters, including Spanish Town 
Mayor Andrew Wheatley, who was reportedly participating in a 
roadblock.  At least one JLP Member of Parliament, Mike 
Henry, was also seen supporting residents who had set up a 
roadblock.  (Note: A PNP MP told us on September 7 that 
blockage of roads specifically violates the law, and that the 
police high command's pre-approval of the demonstrations 
specifically precluded roadblocks.  End Note).  Embassy 
contacts in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) reported 
that one police officer was shot and slightly injured in 
Kingston, and that at least two people were killed during the 
day.  Some people were reportedly pulled from their cars and 
beaten by demonstrators. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
PNP Dissuades Supporters from Involvement 
----------------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) Notwithstanding the incidents that took place, Balfour 
Denniston, member of the People's National Party's (PNP) 
National Executive Committee (NEC), told Poloff at midday on 
September 6 that the demonstration appeared to be atypical in 
its moderation.  He cited the country's violent gas riots in 
1999, when both PNP and JLP supporters took to the streets. 
The PNP, said Denniston, had taken measures on Sunday, 
September 4, to avoid a similar scenario by discouraging its 
constituencies across the island from lawless behavior.  He 
said that the party had sent its local representatives to 
communities to "lubricate" influential community leaders, 
including by "handing out money."  Denniston said that the 
party's efforts had been successful, implying that primarily 
JLP supporters were causing trouble during the current 
demonstration.  Denniston said that the JLP's call to action 
was not/not irresponsible, and that Golding had explicitly 
called for peaceful and lawful demonstrations.  However, 
Denniston said he suspected that certain aggressive elements 
within the JLP, including Deputy Leader and MP James 
Robertson, could incite violence among demonstrators loyal to 
the JLP.  In that case, Denniston said, volatile areas like 
Spanish Town and West Kingston could easily "blow up." 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
JLP Claims Success, Watches PNP for Response 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
7. (C) JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda told Poloff on 
September 7 that his party considered the demonstrations a 
success, although he did lament the fact that some protesters 
had become unruly.  Samuda insisted that the JLP only 
endorsed peaceful demonstrations, but admitted that protests 
in Jamaica seem to be inextricably linked with road blockages 
and lawlessness.  However, Samuda added that the protest was 
the first in Jamaica to be so controlled and organized at the 
constituency level, as opposed to past demonstrations, which 
have developed more spontaneously at a central location. 
Samuda said that the JLP was now looking forward to the 
September 13 session of Parliament, in which it hoped the PNP 
would be willing to revisit its agreement with Jamaica Power 
Service Company, the Mirant-owned utility whose recent price 
increases kicked off the protest.  In addition to the 
electricity costs, Samuda said that unreliable power meters 
were also a problem that the GOJ should address. 
 
8. (C) Samuda maintained that the September 6 PetroCaribe 
meetings were never discussed during the JLP's planning 
meetings, and that the timing was "a sheer coincidence."  He 
also said that he was upset by the Private Sector 
Organization of Jamaica's (PSOJ) complaints about lost 
productivity during the protests.  Samuda called the PSOJ 
hypocritical, pointing out that it had called for a day of 
business closures following the May 21 death of "one of their 
own," businessman Maurice Azan.  Samuda insisted that the 
Jamaican people were entitled to a day of demonstration, 
considering that more than 1,000 people have been murdered so 
far this year. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
8. (C) News of the JLP's call for a day of protest was 
greeted in some quarters with unease, as many Jamaicans 
recalled the infamous 1999 "gas riots" in which JLP and PNP 
supporters united and created widespread havoc.  Others were 
probably happy to take a "free" day off work.  Either way, 
the impact of the day's actions remains to be seen.  On one 
hand, business interests lamented a day of lost productivity 
and the associated negative economic impact, which one 
economist said was likely to affect investor confidence.  On 
the other, the JLP is willing to overlook the economic damage 
if the PNP takes citizens' demands seriously in Parliament. 
Unfortunately, GOJ action to address the people's demands 
will only continue to reinforce the notion in Jamaica that 
violence and "bangarang" are the only effective means to 
achieving political ends.  End Comment. 
TIGHE