Jamaica's negotiator disputes British gov't's claims about prisoner transfer deal

Jamaica’s lead negotiator for the British prisoner transfer deal, Dr Canute Thompson, is disputing claims made by the British government regarding the proposed arrangement.

According to a statement on the website of British Prime Minister David Cameron’s 10 Downing Street office, dated September 30, an agreement has been signed off on with the Jamaican Government for the transfer of the prisoners.

The statement says more than 300 Jamaican prisoners serving time in British jails will be transferred to Jamaica to serve their sentence under the agreement.

However, Thompson says this is inaccurate.

He says no agreement has been reached.

Thompson says a non binding Memorandum of Understanding was signed on September 29.

He says he can’t explain how the inaccuracies came to be.

However, he says the discrepancy will be discussed with counterparts at the British High Commission in due course.