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during a sermon. Mr. Golding and Bishop Blair discussed trying to have Coke
turn himself in and avoid the security forces having to take action to execute the
warrant. This was pursuant to a public appeal by the JCF for Coke to surrender.
7.40.
So far as Rev. Miller was concerned, Mr. Golding said that
Rev. Miller was a friend and he was involved in a social transformation project
within the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr. Golding made clear the following:
“He was not my agent to have Coke surrender. I did not ask
him to intervene. He took steps on his own initiative.”
(iii) Voluntary Evacuation of Residents
7.41.
Measures were taken to evacuate residents from the area of
operations. In the evening of 23 May, the JCF issued a statement on radio
stations as follows:
“The security forces are asking all decent and law abiding
residents of Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town to leave those
respective communities immediately.
They are being asked to leave the areas via the corridors of
Industrial Terrace onto Marcus Garvey Drive where buses
will be waiting at the intersection of Marcus Garvey Drive
and Industrial Terrace to transport them to a secure
location.
Those persons opting to be evacuated are being asked, if
possible, to bring food and clothing to last them for at least
24 hours.”
7.42.
It was CDS Saunders’ initiative to have the JCF issue the above
statement. He said –
“On the Sunday, prior to the launch of the operation, I made
a request to the Commissioner of Police for him to make
arrangements for all law-abiding citizens in Tivoli Gardens
and its environs to meet at a particular point to be conveyed
out of the area and the Commissioner did exactly what was
requested. He in fact ensured that it was widely broadcast
across the media and buses were arranged which turned up