Jamaica Energy Minister Says US Revoked His Visa

DAVID McFADDEN

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Jamaica's energy and mining minister resigned from his powerful Cabinet post Tuesday, hours after disclosing that the U.S. State Department had revoked his visitor visa, possibly due to a police investigation of him.

Energy and Mining Minister James Robertson said he was not informed why U.S. visas for him and his wife, Charlene, were withdrawn, but he speculated the decision could be tied to allegations he was involved in a murder-for-hire plot.

U.S. officials declined all comment on the visa matter, citing privacy rules.

In his statement, Robertson said the murder-for-hire accusations by St. Thomas businessman Ian Johnson "have been, and remain, wholly rejected." Robertson was never charged and has filed a defamation lawsuit against Johnson, a district constituent who made the allegations in an unsuccessful application for political asylum in the U.S.

In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Robertson said he was stepping down immediately following conversations with Golding, Cabinet colleagues, and his wife and daughters.

"Recent events which include several unsubstantiated allegations have taken a heavy toll on my family and me. I am confident however that this matter will be resolved once given the opportunity and due process," wrote Robertson, who is also deputy leader of the governing Jamaica Labor Party.

Jamaican police have said they opened an investigation into criminal allegations against the energy minister, without specifying if the probe involved Johnson's allegation.

On Tuesday, Assistant Police Commissioner Les Green said he expected to provide an update on the investigation in the next day or two. He gave no other details.

Jamaica's Cabinet met Tuesday to address the situation. Phone calls made to the government's information minister, Daryl Vaz, went unanswered.

The Jamaica Observer newspaper, which first broke the news that a top minister's visa was revoked, said Robertson did not offer to give up his parliamentary seat or step down as Labor's deputy leader.