KINGSTON – The Jamaica government has agreed to extradite a national wanted in the United States on guns and drug related charges as an apologetic and remorseful Prime Minister Bruce Golding asked for forgiveness over the entire matter.“I regret the entire affair and it has been deeply painful for me, members of my family and you who have been hurt and disappointed. In hindsight, the party should never have been involved in the way that it did, and I should never have allowed it but I must express responsibility for it and express my remorse to the nation,” Golding said in a nationwide radio and television broadcast on Monday night.The Prime Minister said he would not be stepping down as a result of the issue. He said his party had rejected his offer to resign.“Yesterday [Sunday], I indicated that I was prepared to step aside as Prime Minister . . . a special general conference would have to be convened to elect a new Prime Minister. The offer was rejected and I was asked to reconsider,” he said, telling the nation “If I was to consider it cannot be business as usual.” The Prime Minister said Jamaica’s business cannot continue to be disrupted by the ordeal of the last few months.’ (CMC)
