(Jamaica Observer) The police on Friday appealed to the lawyers retained by Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke to take him to the nearest police station in order for the extradition warrant against him to be executed.

The Government, after several months of inaction, on Tuesday finally signed the order for extradition proceedings against Coke — wanted in the US to answer drug and gun trafficking charges — to begin.

Government Senator Tom Tavares-Finson, who had been representing Coke since the US issued the extradition request last August, Tuesday withdrew from the legal team and attorney Don Foote was retained as the lead attorney.

Foote on Friday appeared in court in an

attempt to block the extradition of his client. That case is scheduled to be heard on May 31. But the attorney was adamant that Coke would not surrender to the police, saying it was not a consideration at this time because his application for Judicial Review is before the court.

“I will now have to advise my client as to the fact that the matter has started,” the lawyer added.

Coke is seeking a Judicial Review of the decision by Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne, giving the authority to proceed with extradition proceedings against him.

The case before the Supreme Court does not prevent the police from executing the arrest warrant on Coke.

Police, in the meantime, have warned residents of Tivoli Gardens — the power base of Prime Minister Bruce Golding’s West Kingston constituency — to remove barricades erected around the main entry points and across roadways in the community, as well as in the neighbouring Denham Town.

“…It is a breach of the law to erect barricades which impede the movement of the security forces during the lawful performance of their duties,” the police high command warned. “Law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear from the presence of the security forces, as the police intend to conduct our operations in a professional manner in accordance with the law and in the interest of all concerned,” the statement said.

On Friday night, that message was reinforced by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who is also the member of parliament for West Kingston, the constituency in which Tivoli Gardens is located.

In a news release from the Office of the Prime Minister, Golding urged his constituents to co-operate with the security forces in the lawful execution of their duties.

“I have been assured that the security forces are determined to carry out their duties in a professional manner in order to prevent any recurrence of the terrible atrocities that occurred in 2001,” Golding said.

His reference was to the three-day stand-off between the security forces and gunmen in July 2001 which resulted in the deaths of 27 people, among them a policeman and a soldier.

Golding also called on members of his constituency to remain calm, to continue to go about their legitimate business despite the tension that exists, and to allow the courts to deal with the extradition matter.

On Friday, commercial activities in downtown Kingston moved at snail’s pace, a day after hundreds of West Kingston residents marched in that section of the city to protest against the planned extradition of Coke, said to be the benefactor for a number of residents of Tivoli Gardens and neighbouring communities.

Several stores were open for business but there were few customers, as thousands of fearful Jamaicans stayed away from that section of the city.

“Storeowners are conducting business, but the streets are empty,” one downtown Kingston resident told the Observer.

Storeowners, obviously affected by the turn of events, begged customers to purchase from them as they attempted to make up for lost sales since the threat of violence over the ‘Dudus’ extradition started to spread on Monday.

In the meantime, the situation in Tivoli Gardens continues to draw condemnation from more organisations.

The Jamaican Bar Association, in a release on Friday, expressed concern about the roadblocks and the cutting-off of access to Tivoli Gardens, as well as the ongoing demonstrations connected to the extradition proceedings against Coke.

“We call on all those involved to immediately cease any such illegal activities that undoubtedly threaten the rule of law and infringe the rights of other citizens,” the association said.