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and electricity. That kind of criminal enterprise was not
seen elsewhere in Jamaica. That is why we anticipated a
high level of resistance from the criminal elements who
came to join them and unleash criminal violence against the
JCF…..It was an extraordinary challenge for the State and its
governance by criminals who decided that the first targets to
strike at would be the security forces. If they were able to
break our will, they believed that we would not be able to
enforce the law against Coke.”
2.32.
The Presidential Click significantly undermined good governance in
the areas they dominated and they extended their influence to other parts of the
country. Professor Harriott’s Chapter 7 in the book referred to at para.9, is an
in-depth exposition and analysis of the Presidential Click and the Shower Posse
which bears re-visiting.
2.33.
At p.235 the author describes the Presidential Click as -
“perhaps the most powerful organised crime group in
Jamaica. It is a highly structured community-based group
that is very cohesive; its core is composed of members who
reside or who resided in Tivoli Gardens at some point during
their criminal careers. The Presidential Click also includes
affiliate members and units that are drawn from the
neighbouring communities. These are satellite units of the
group that are treated as subordinates. ... Beyond these two
layers of the Presidential Click is a much less cohesive
transnational network. This larger network is called the
Shower Posse. The Presidential Click may thus be viewed as
a distinct part of the Shower Posse, which is a loose
transnational organised crime network.”
2.34.
The Click operates at three levels, viz.
(a)
the first level comprised
ordinary street criminals who rob and turn over their loot to Coke;
(b)
the second
level, uses its territorial monopoly and national/transnational networks to exploit
criminal and corrupt opportunities beyond the street level. At this level, it
operates as a criminal enterprise engaged in the illicit supply of goods and
services;
(c)
at the third level of functioning, the Click crosses over into political