| West Kgn inquiry cost $44 million |
| Observer Reporter Wednesday, July 31, 2002 |
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| HYACINTHE ELLIS...$3 million |
A whopping $44.6 million is the amount the West Kingston commission of inquiry cost the national treasury, Prime Minister P J Patterson informed the House of Representatives yesterday in response to questions posed by Derrick Smith, Opposition spokesman on national security.
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| JULIUS ISAAC...paid by Canadian gov't |
According to Patterson, the Jamaican Government was spared the expense of paying a salary to Canadian jurist, Justice Julius Isaac, who headed the three-member commission.
"During the period of the inquiry the chairman continued to receive his salary from the Canadian Government," reported Patterson. "He was, however, eligible for transportation, reasonable travel and living expenses from the Government of Jamaica."
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| REV GARNETT BROWN...$2million |
This amounted to a total cost of $1.23 million and was paid over to the Canadian High Commission, the prime minister said.
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| VELMA HYLTON...$4.79 million |
Fellow commissioner, Dr Hyacinthe Ellis, a sociologist, received a total of over $3 million, while Rev Garnett Brown, the third commissioner, was paid total emoluments of approximately $2 million. Total payment on account of the three commissioners was $6.27 million.
The largest payment, $4.79 million, to an individual was paid to Velma Hylton, counsel to the commission.
Set out below are the fees paid by Government to various lawyers who appeared before the commission on behalf of Government departments/agencies:
Janet Nosworthy (assistant to Hylton)............................$2.67m
Eugene Harris (assistant to Hylton)................................$2.96m
Ian Ramsay (Jamaica Constabulary Force).....................$4.47m
Jacqueline Samuels-Brown (JCF)...................................$3.03m
Leslie Harper (JCF).........................................................$2.88m
Norma Linton (Jamaica Defence Force).........................$4.79m
Bert Samuels (JDF).........................................................$3.06m
Errol Gentles (JDF).........................................................$2.76m
The Public Defender's Office spent $600,000 to retain counsel to represent victims of the police operation on July 7, 2001 which resulted in the deaths of 25 civilians, one soldier and one policeman.
Patterson stressed that the lawyers who appeared on behalf of the People's National Party were paid by their client, and not the by Government.