430 / 494
429
13.31.
Maj. Henry was of opinion that it was the intensity and duration of
gunfights that caused the delay. He said –
“I expected some resistance and that by mid to late
afternoon, I would have secured that buffer… It took me
three (3) hours to move 500 metres.”
(B) The Physical Environment
13.32.
The physical environment may also be regarded as an aspect of the
conditions that may have facilitated Coke’s escape. There were several ways out
of Tivoli Gardens including pathways, waterways and at least one tunnel.
Although it was planned to have police officers observe the waterways, the plan
could not be implemented because of the armed resistance offered by gunmen.
13.33.
In similar vein to SSP Graham as quoted earlier at para.13.29,
ACP Blake said –
“Persons who were placed in the cordon were given specific
instructions to pay attention to the waterways – not that
they were to be specifically deployed in the
waterways…When I displayed the photograph yesterday, I
did indicate that it would expose the cordon along Spanish
Town Road to abnormally high risks.”
13.34.
The Commission was told that, in addition to the waterways, there
was a tunnel connected to those waterways that provided a way out of Tivoli
Gardens. This tunnel could have been used to evade the security forces since it
led from Java to North Street.
13.35.
Lt. Col. Cummings made a deliberate attempt to locate this tunnel.
He said:
“I found only one that could fit the description or would
allow persons to traverse it ...An entrance to the tunnel was
in the Java area. It started in a gully and it exited at a
manhole on North Street which was covered.”