AT LEAST ONE of the nine organisations which last month called on Government to begin a Coroner's inquest into the Braeton shootings by May 7, says it is reasonably satisfied with authorities' progress in the investigation although an inquest has not yet begun.
Referring to a Gleaner report last Friday which said that statements related to the March 14th incident have been collected and will shortly be delivered to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a ruling, Convenor of Families Against State Terrorism (FAST) Mrs. Yvonne Sobers said her organisation was "satisfied to wait until the DPP gets the statements".
She said the organisations would shortly be re-grouping and would respond appropriately if they agreed that the authorities were dragging their feet on the issue. "The thinking behind the date May 7, was, as I understood it, to indicate to the authorities a time around which the groups expected the inquest begin or to at least see some progress towards holding the inquest," Mrs. Sobers said.
Chairperson of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), Dr. Carolyn Gomes, confirmed that representatives from the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights (1998) Limited, Jamaica Exporters Association, Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Bankers Association, August Town Sports and Community Development Foundation, Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches, and Christians United for Love Justice and Peace, are to meet soon with counterparts from JFJ and FAST to decide on follow-up action.
Dr. Gomes could not disclose a date for the meeting. She also declined to comment on the state of investigations into the incident until she has been briefed on the latest developments, since she was recently out of the island.
On April 20, the nine organisations issued a joint press release which, in addition to calling for a Coroner's inquest into the incident, urged the immediate removal of police officers involved in the Braeton operation from front-line duty until the completion the inquest.
