(Jamaica Gleaner) – Ronald Robinson, government senator and state minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, is the first casualty in the messy Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair that has dogged the government of Jamaica for more than two months.
Robinson has tendered his resignation both as a senator and junior minister.
In his resignation letter to the prime minister dated May 20, 2010, Robinson apologised for his role in the Manatt scandal and noted his wife’s ill health as another reason for his resignation.
“Morally, responsibility comes with actions and I know the just and upright thing to do at this time. Prime minister putting both situations together, I now tender my resignation with immediate effect as senator and minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade,” read a section of Robinson’s resignation letter.
Robinson’s name surfaced in the Manatt scandal on April 27 when Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) General Secretary Karl Samuda revealed that while on a visit to Washington on Novem-ber 20, 2009, the senator had a brief social encounter with a representative of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips after having declined an invitation by local attorney Harold Brady to attend a meeting at the State Department.
But in his resignation letter, Robinson said in fact, he had two meetings with firm between November 19 and 20.
But he said he should not have met the law firm.
“With regard to the current topical situation of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, I acknowledge that my contact with the firm could have been perceived as inappropriate, and for that I accept responsibility,” he said.
Manatt was contracted purportedly by the JLP to lobby the United States in a treaty dispute over the extradition request for Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.
Meanwhile, Robinson said the recent medical issues with his wife had taken its toll and he will be placing all his energy and focus on his wife’s medical situation.
The ongoing Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair has been rocking the JLP government since March and reached its nadir on May 11 when Golding revealed he sanctioned his party to contract the firm to lobby the US government over extradition issues.
Persons close to Robinson have said he has been contemplating his future as a minister since last week but had not communicated a decision.
Robinson, a former principal in the Pre-University School of the West Indies and former president, Generation 2000 which he co-founded in 1998 was also constituency candidate/caretaker for the JLP in St Andrew East Rural from 1999-2001. He was appointed government senator in September 2007.
