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Here’s Why PM Holness Can Neither Help Nor Sink Vybz Kartel On The Privy Council

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holness vybz kartel
Andrew Holness, Vybz Kartel

Vybz Kartel’s GAZA fans reacted with a mix of hope and consternation today when it was announced that Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness is now a member of Queen Elizabeth’s Privy Council.

“What a power move to approve of Kartel’s court appeal,” wrote one of several excited Dancehall fans, while another advised that if Holness were to “set Kartel free, the PNP [the Jamaican Opposition party] would never see back Gordon House. [Parliament]”.

Others were not as hopeful.

“Andrew being on the Privy Council means that Kartel doesn’t have one standing chance,” wrote one user.  “Andrew Holness has been appointed to the privy council. Anybody check pon Kartel yet??” another joked.

However, they all need not concern themselves as the appointment is largely ceremonial in nature.  Furthermore, Holness’ appointment to the Queen’s Privy Council is separate and apart from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) — Jamaica’s final appellate court — which is often referred to as, simply, the Privy Council.

Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen made the announcement in a statement on Thursday.

The brief statement from King’s House said: “Her Majesty The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve that the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP, Prime Minister of Jamaica, be appointed a member of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.”

According to the statement, the accepted form of address of the Prime Minister as of today shall be as follows: “The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP, Prime Minister.”

The Privy Council is formally a body of advisers to the Queen. Some of the main functions of the Privy Council include: Extending legislation to British Overseas Territories, ratifying legislation from crown dependencies, such as the Channel Islands and issuing proclamations – for example, announcing the dates of bank holidays.

An appointment to the Queen’s Privy Council is for life and those appointed have usually achieved high political, ecclesiastical or judicial office or achieved eminence in public affairs in the United Kingdom, or the Commonwealth, or both.

Kartel’s Privy Council appeal

Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, and his co-accused received life sentences in 2014 for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.  Kartel, who has been in prison since 2011, was ordered to serve 35 years before parole but had two and a half years shaved off from his sentence, following a largely failed appeal in April 2020.

In September 2020, Kartel was granted permission by the Jamaica Court of Appeal to have his case heard by the JCPC.

“We’re waiting on the Privy Council,” Isat Buchanan, attorney-at-law representing the Fever deejay, told DancehallMag today when asked for an update.

Three weeks ago, the deejay’s defense scored another small victory when a cellphone, which reportedly contained damning text and voice messages linking Kartel to the murder of Williams, was allowed to be analyzed by an expert for signs of tampering.