Prime Minister Bruce Golding is expected to face backlash and come under more public pressure Wednesday following his surprise admission in Parliament on Tuesday that he knew of the deal between the US law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips and attorney-at-law Harold Brady.

The Parliamentary Opposition is calling for the Prime Minister's resign. The Prime Minister Bruce Golding in a statement during Tuesday's sitting of the House of Representatives that he sanctioned the engagement of Manatt Phelps and Phillips. He added that he stands by his March 16 pronouncement that the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) had not engaged any legal firm to act in the extradition issue which is now before the courts. According to Mr. Golding, the initiative was sanctioned by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and not the GOJ. He added that the payment of nearly US$50,000 to Manatt, Phelps and Phillips was sourced from financial contributors to the JLP. He further denied that the US firm was paid by Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher Coke. However the People's National Party (PNP) has declared that it will not allow the issue to die. Implications of the Golding's admissions Robert Pickersgill, PNP Chairman. In a statement issued hours after the Prime Minister's statement in Parliament, the PNP described the latest developments in the Manatt saga as a dark day in governance in Jamaica. According to Robert Pickersgil, PNP Chairman, the Prime Minister's revelation also has other major implications for the country. "(His) statement in Parliament Tuesday has only confirmed what we have said all along that he has not been telling us all he knew. All of Jamaica must be concerned as his statement has serious and negative implications for the country's reputation at home and abroad and in the interest of Jamaica and its people, we will not allow it to rest," Mr. Pickersgill said. NDM seconds the PNP's call for Golding's resignation In the meantime, the National Democratic Movement (NDM), the political party formerly led by Mr. Golding, is calling on the Prime Minister to immediately tender his resignation.    In a statement, the NDM said Mr. Golding's actions have compromised the integrity of his government and deceived the people of Jamaica. According to The NDM, the Prime Minister should do the honourable thing and step aside. The party is also demanding answers from Mr. Golding on the source of the money which the JLP received to pay Manatt, Phelps and Phillips. Golding a grave disappointment - O'Brien Chang Kevin O'Brien Chang. And one political analyst believes Mr. Golding's credibility as Prime Minister will take a nose dive following the latest revelation in the Manatt saga. Kevin O'Brien Chang says the Prime Minister's handling of crucial information on the dealings with the US law firm also raises serious questions about transparency in the JLP administration. "The confidence of the people in what Mr. Golding say will be severely shaken. We expect our Prime Minister to speak with one voice not with a voice as Prime Minister and then a voice as Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party. "This is same Bruce Golding who while as National Democratic Movement (NDM) Leader, use to talks about transparency, accountability and trust. I really wish he would revisit his NDM utterances because he has been a grave disappointment," Mr. O'Brien Chang contends.