NEWFOUND OBJECTIONS BY CARIBBEAN LEADERS MAY BE GROUNDED IN THEIR WELL-FOUNDED FEARS OF ARREST BY US LAW ENFORCEMENT

If you are closely monitoring political developments in the Caribbean, these news stories must have drawn your attention:

(1) East Caribbean leaders, particularly Antigua's Gaston Browne and Dominica's Roosevelt Skerrit, have threatened to boycott the upcoming Summit of the Americas Conference, claiming that barring the appearance of representatives from Cuba and Venezuela, both dictatorships that suppress democracy, most be allowed. They do not want CARICOM member states to participate if those countries are not represented.

Gaston Browne with Raul Castro

(2) Very public objections, coming from senior East Caribbean leaders, against the arrest of former British Virgin Islands Premier Andrew Fahie, on money laundering and drug trafficking charges, verging on anti-American and anti-colonialism sentiments, rather than responding to the facts of the case, which are purely political, and totally ignore reality. They are obviously trying to score points with their voters.

We wonder whether East Caribbean leaders are simply responding to the personal threats that they face to their futures due to three criminals in US custody, Alex Saab Moran, Andrew Fahie and Dario Usage David, all of whom are suspected of cooperating with American law enforcement, regarding their disclosure of information that incriminates those same leaders in working directly with drug traffickers, and money launderers employed by such narco-criminals. 

Remember, both Cuba and Venezuela do not extradite to the United States; corrupt Caribbean leaders, who have believed that international "hands-off" policies more or less protected them from arrest and prosecution by foreign law enforcement agencies now feel that the gloves have come off in the US, due to its recent implementation of a national priority targeting corruption. They fear that dreaded knock on the door, or more likely, arrest by American agents abroad, away from their safe havens at home, and want to preserve an exit strategy that includes residence in an extradition-proof jurisdiction, such as Cuba or Venezuela. They believe those dictators will shield them form the consequences of their crimes.

Roosevelt Skerrit with Fidel Castro

If this sounds like we have a very low opinion of the integrity of these leaders, so be it. If the shoe fits, gentlemen, wear it; shuffle off to your safe harbours in Havana or Caracas, to seek asylum, the moment it appears you have been indicted. Your countries will all the better for your absence, we are sure, but meanwhile justice will not be served.