No report from Yates
(CNS): Although Assistant Commissioner John Yates from the Metropolitan Police in London allegedly visited the Cayman Islands last week to assess the situation of Operation Tempura, no information about that visit has been forthcoming and the Caymanian people have still not been told what is happening regarding the $4million investigation. CNS can reveal, however, that this is not the first investigation over which Yates has presided that spent millions but brought no charges.
While the elected government in Cayman has called for an end tothe investigation, which they believed has revealed very little evidence if any of corruption but has cost the Cayman government millions of dollars as well as the reputation of the islands, no one from the Special Police Investigation Team (SPIT), Scotland Yard or the Governor’s office has said what happens next. Justice Alex Henderson has been officially cleared, but Acting Commissioner David George said on Friday that the remainder of the investigation concerning the alleged break-in to Cayman Net News continues and a subsequent statement will soon be released.
However, this investigation described as “chasing ghosts” by one elected official here bears some resemblance to another corruption allegation headed by Yates in the UK described as a “wild goose chase” based on “no credible evidence”.
In 2007, Yates faced extensive criticism over what was known in the UK as the Cash for Honours scandal, when at the end of the £1 million operation which lasted 16 months, no charges were brought and no wrongdoing was revealed in what had been accusations of corruption against peers for taking honours from the Labour government in exchange for loans and donations.
Yates and his team questioned various members of the Labour Party (including Tony Blair), the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats and arrested four people including Labour’s Lord Levy but never charged him or anyone else with any crimes.
At the end of the investigation Yates was forced to answer a political enquiry concerned that after so much money and so much time there was no case to answer. The Senior Met Officer faced criticisms by a panel of politicians that the investigation was a “wild goose chase” and the heavy handed approach he had taken. Tory MP Charles Walker had asked Yates why it was necessary to beat down the door of former Number 10 aide Ruth Turner in a "6am raid". Yates said, in general, people under investigation for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice could not be put "on notice" by the police in advance. "People under suspicion for this sort of case will try to hide evidence," he said.
The three main suspects in the so-called scandal were officially cleared in October 2007 — Lord Levy, who was Tony Blair’s personal fundraiser, Ruth Turner who was Downing Street’s director of government relations, and Sir Christopher Evans, one of the 12 businessmen whose secret loans to the Labour Party triggered the police action.
During the police investigation more than 130 people were interviewed and four people were arrested. It focused on allegations that peerages had been offered in return for loans to Labour and the Conservatives ahead of the 2005 general election. Figures questioned by officers included the then Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Tory leader Michael Howard. All involved in the investigation denied any wrongdoing and the CPS said that there was "insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against any individual for any offence".
Yates persistently defended his investigation and arrests saying, "With any investigation you go where the evidence takes you and during the course of the investigation it became necessary to consider whether there had been a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.” He added that he was clearly aware that the investigation into these matters would have serious consequences. The decision to investigate was not one that was entered into lightly.
"It is a search for the truth,” he said. "Accountability for operational decision-making in this case has rested and remains with me. However, from the beginning, the investigative team and I have liaised closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, Queen’s Counsel and the Electoral Commission, seeking their advice and views throughout."
"There can be little doubt that it has been challenging case. The proportionality and necessity of any action were matters uppermost in my mind throughout. Some have been surprised about the intensity and length of the police investigation and I recognise that this has not been a comfortable time for many of those who came under the investigative spotlight. However, with allegations such as these, which were of utmost seriousness, the investigation had to be thorough and meticulous in every respect,” Yates reportedly said when justifying his actions.
Yates was criticized throughout the investigation for dragging it out and for leaking damaging stories to the press about their supposedly confidential work.
Category: Headline News
THE ECONOMIC HITMEN HAVE ARRIVED:
Phase 1
Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. Their tools included fraudulent financial reports, undermining the judiciary , rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization.
Phase 2
When the economic hit men fail in this scenario, the next step is what we call the jackals. Jackals are C.I.A.-sanctioned people that come in and try to foment a coup or revolution. If that doesn’t work, they perform assassinations.
Phase 3
Send in the top brass (yates?)
We are now in the advanced stages of this assault on our Country
Look up Confessions of an Economic Hit Man: to see how the UK is using the same process down here.
Nice…. ‘great out of the box’ thinking! Some has their eyes open and is using their brains…
Bridger not quite the hotshot he claims to be?
From the 2007 New Year’s honours –
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QPM (Queen’s Police Medal)
Lambeth Borough
Territorial Policing
Chief Superintendent Martin BRIDGER has served in the Metropolitan Police Service for 30 years and since February 2005 has been the officer responsible for policing the borough of Lambeth.
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That’s a slightly different picture of his background than the one he’s given to media!
Rather than being some high-profile investigator the good Mr Bridger was tucked away in an administrative post before he came to Cayman.
I bet for SPIT, the most enjoyable and memorable experience thus far, is their extended vacationing with family and friends in the Cayman Islands and ramrodding @#%& down our throats and ears, then spending our hard earned tax payers $$$$$ as if it’s in style to do so.
Isn’t it amazing that as soon as someone arrives to our shores with an unusual dialect, certain pigmentation, from distances afar, wearing a classy business suit and carrying a briefcase, some persons automatically assume that he/she is "an expert" in whatever field they claim to be. To a very few, it’s like the coming of a new "Messiah" !!!
Tell me, how many times have you not seen this happen over and over again in the Cayman Islands ???
For some persons that maybe the case, but I always take great precautions with "some" of them as if they are "hungry wolves in sheep clothing"
Unfortunately many who hold similar views and beliefs as me, this has been a proven reality far too often these days. Therefore, don’t blame me or others for thinking this way.
History tells me, they always enter in Disguise, Divide, Conquer and then Rule !!!!
"Isn’t it amazing that as soon as someone arrives to our shores with an unusual dialect, certain pigmentation, from distances afar, wearing a classy business suit and carrying a briefcase, some persons automatically assume that he/she is "an expert" in whatever field they claim to be."
Does Mr Syed fit your criteria in the skin color department?
As far as I can see, if they get one rotten apple out of the barrel then the money is well spent. As for saving 4 million and pending it on our own people in the Brac and Little Cayman, great idea, but what are, "OUR OWN PEOPLE"? Did every one not suffer and deserve some help?
I will bet there are a lot of people getting freebies just because they can.
Is England attempting to destroy the reputation of the Cayman Islands?Thanks (CNS) Cayman News Service for bringing this story to the eyes of the Caymanian Public of what happened with SPIT back in the UK in 2007. I hope all of those now in support of this ongoing "farce investigation" will take a moment to read this article.
As far as I’m concerned, this fiasco in the Cayman Islands is just another extension of SPIT. However one big difference is noted, it’s at a substantially greater cost to the Caymanian tax payers to absorb than the UK tax payers. The powers that be in Cayman, allowed the blokes and their mates to have "a jolly all inclusive vacation in the sunny Cayman Isles" which is now coming back to haunt us and will be for many years to come.
Now, wouldn’t it have been "really cool" to have $4 million CI to help our own people rebuild Cayman Brac and Little Cayman following the aftermath of Hurricane Paloma ????
Way to go you blokes, soon the whole Cayman Islands will be flirting with the idea of "Independence from the UK" which is exactly what the UK would love to hear. "One bloddy less liability" would be their response !!!!
Where is this article found?