Glenn Jackson, deceased press secretary and personal aide to Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, according to the U.S. Embassy in Barbados, was their top contact in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Was Jackson “assassinated” for that very reason? Was he discovered passing secrets to the United States? Did SVG’s Special Branch make secret reports on Jackson’s meetings with the U.S. officials? Was he about to expose a wrongdoing? Was he killed by an operative to keep him quiet? Was he killed by someone who he knew? Was he killed by a hired assassin?
The mass of information that the U.S. Embassy obtained about SVG was acquired from somewhere, from people, we know there were many informants; we know where much of it came from. We know where much of the information came from, because the WIKILEAK U.S. Embassy cables actually call names. But Jackson’s name only appears in one of hundreds of cables, and only after his death, yet in that cable #554, he was described by the US Embassy as their most important contact. In the scheme of things that made him a very important asset to the Americans.
Whilst trawling through the WIKILEAKS documents, I noticed this sentence:
“Post was particularly fortunate to identify Jackson’s value and cultivate a relationship that made him our most important contact”.
Extracts of US EMBASSY CABLE 554, March 30, 2006.
“The brutal murder of the top aide to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has left the Government of St. Vincent and the ruling Unity Labor Party (ULP) bereft of one of its leading figures. Glenn Jackson, who served as Government Press Secretary and Personal Aide to the PM, was among Gonsalves’s closest confidants, attending all Cabinet meetings and weighing in on important policy issues. He was also a key figure in the ruling ULP, helping the party defeat the long-governing New Democratic Party (NDP) in 2001 and win re-election in 2005. Jackson’s body was found near his home in the capital, Kingstown, on March 6 “According to press reports, he died of a gunshot wound. Police have yet to identify a suspect or motive for the murder. Glenn Jackson was a divisive figure in St. Vincent, leading to speculation that his murder may not have been a random crime. A journalist by profession, Jackson rose to prominence in the 1990s as host of St. Vincent’s first talk radio program. This platform allowed Jackson to use his eloquence and passion to turn out hundreds of people for public demonstrations against what he saw as a variety of ills that plagued St. Vincent. Among these was a protest against the USG for its support of ending preferential trade quotas for Caribbean bananas. Similar demonstrations initiated by Jackson were directed against then Prime Minister James Mitchell and the ruling NDP, contributing to a political crisis that culminated in the 2001 elections that brought the opposition ULP and Ralph Gonsalves to power. Jackson followed Gonsalves into Government while continuing his role as radio host-provocateur, drawing the ire of many who believe he contributed negatively to the nation’s hothouse political climate. “In Government, Glenn Jackson established himself as one of PM Gonsalves’s most trusted associates and was given the official title Personal Aide in addition to Press Secretary. Jackson was among a handful of people that were close to Gonsalves in a Government full of political appointees and bureaucrats of questionable ability. This common quality of governments in the Eastern Caribbean has the effect of making already small governing institutions even smaller, so that decision-making and access to information are often concentrated in a small clique close to the prime minister. In St. Vincent, PM Gonsalves has taken this tendency to an extreme and nearly all Government initiatives are run directly from his office. As the PM’s top aide, Glenn Jackson was, therefore, exceptionally knowledgeable. Post was particularly fortunate to identify Jackson’s value and cultivate a relationship that made him our most important contact.Isn’t it time for this case to be re-opened and a proper investigation take place, into what Jackson was reportedly about to reveal in a TV studio, he pre-booked for three days after his death to air an exposure, rumoured to be something big about the ULP, which would have blown the party wide open?
The WIKILEAKS copy of the US Embassy in Barbados’ “confidential” communiqué is available for inspection, it’s here to download. Isn’t this a very real insight into this man, perhaps an important lead? “Post was particularly fortunate to identify Jackson’s value and cultivate a relationship that made him our most important contact”.
Rumours also say that shortly before his death, Jackson had a very big argument with one of the top ULP people. Did that happen? If it did, who did he have a falling out with? A top party member? A minister? A senator? Who? About what? Were his phone calls, his emails recorded? If so, on whose instructions?
Rumours are just that: rumours. But often, rumours contain truth and inevitably someone is convicted on what started out as a rumour.
Personally I believe it may well be better to wait until the current government regime is replaced, before a proper investigation is undertaken.
One thing you can be sure of, eventually an investigation will take place and those responsible for Jackson’s death will be prosecuted.
Peter BinoseSelf appointed keeper of the whistle
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A Good read
I’m no lawyer, Kenton, but you need to hire one. This is a slander, and you are publishing it. Simply saying “The views expressed herein are those of the writer and do not represent the opinions or editorial position of I-Witness News” doesnt get u off the hook. Ur a publisher, u need to learn the relevnt laws. Be careful…
The USA always meddling in everybody’s country trying to start war so they can steal resources. They are fat, lazy,greedy bastards! GOD have a special judgement for wicked people like them.
One up to you, Kenton, don’t worry with people who continue to be afraid and tremble in their pants…always report it as you see it.
SAFIYA, slander against whom, I accuse no one of any wrong doing, nor do I express or imply such. This is a matter that is still unresolved. By ignoring it will never be resolved.
JASON, what on earth are you talking about again, stop trying to prove to the World that you are still an idiot. Try and make some input into a serious matter of who killed a fellow human being. That’s what God is interested in not your silly political motivated rants.
So JASON what resources are you talking about, black sand, bananas, dachine, what drivel is this that you present us with now. You really have got to stop this cut and paste thing, unless its relevent.
Is this a ploy for people to vote for the NDP come next election? Why this was not brought up during last election? The ULP has been in power for too long now? Therefore, every someone’s out of no where has a story to tell, that includes trying to invoke a dead man. These are poorly planned strategies.
February 27th, Wednesday, 2008:
Francis Williams accused of killing the St. Vincent Prime Minister’s Press Secretary, Glen Jackson, was acquitted of murder charges against him.
Francis Williams was reportedly charged, following the death of Mr. Jackson by a single gunshot to the chest in March 2006.
Justice Bruce Lyle ruled that investigators had not followed the proper procedure, and that a confession obtained by the police from Williams was inadmissible.
High Court Judge Frederick Bruce-Lyle ruled that the prosecution could not include as evidence an oral confession received from Williams during the course of the investigation.
Bruce-Lyle also ruled that the manner in which the alleged confession was obtained breached several chapters of the Police Act.
He noted that the police officers in the investigation failed to properly record the confession, and said they had conducted an awful investigation.