JLP lashes Knight on video tape issue

THE OPPOSITION Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is calling on Minister of National Security and Justice, K.D. Knight, to explain how video tapes of events which took place during the July 7-10 unrest in West Kingston, made its way into the hands of alleged activists from the ruling People`s National Party (PNP) when its request for a copy was turned down.

Opposition spokesman on National Security, Derrick Smith, asserted that the tapes had been shown to various diplomats and political officials but had not been turned over to the JLP.

Mr. Smith said that the Opposition party had demanded access to the tapes on July 11 to ascertain whether the locations cited in the tape were authentic as the tape was dated June 2000, more than a year earlier than the alleged tapings of the events.

The Minister had reportedly replied with a letter dated July 13, which read, I have discussed the matter with the relevant authorities and cannot accede to your request at this time.

In a release, Mr. Smith said that as recent as August 12, a copy of the taping was shown to an audience of just over 100 at the South Boro Primary, SE St. Catherine in Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Paul Robertson`s constituency.

We are outraged that the Government has allowed the use of tapes as tools of its latest round of propaganda campaign, by showing it to selected PNP activists islandwide, said Mr. Smith last week. The Minister needs to explain how the tapes got in the hands of PNP activists to be used as a propaganda tool of the Government.

Minister Knight said Thursday that he would not comment on charges that the tapes were released into the hands of PNP activists as he had not seen a copy of the JLP`s release and was not near fax facilities.

However, the Security Minister explained the reasoning behind a decision to turn down last month`s request by the JLP for a copy of the tapes, citing that the action had been taken for `security reasons`.

Because the tape would have been made public, it was necessary to ensure that there was no possibility of tampering with any particular location which substantiated the fact that the videotape recorded events between July 7 and 10 or any other day, approximate to that date, the location which could have been there as identifying marks at the time, he said.

Regarding whether or not the JLP would now be allowed access to the taping, Minister Knight said, Let them make a request.

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