SOFT-SPOKEN and disarmingly charming, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne has been one politician who has earned the respect of persons on both sides of the political divide.

With her reputation for fairness and her sharp legal mind, there was little argument when Lightbourne, a veteran attorney, was appointed attorney general and minister of justice by Prime Minister Bruce Golding in 2007.

Lightbourne was called to the Bar in 1970 after attending Wolmer's Girls' School in Kingston, Addey and Stanhope Grammar School (London), and Hull University.

Having won the respect of her peers, she was appointed to head the Disciplinary Committee General Legal Council of Jamaica, while serving on several other boards and on the opposition benches in the Senate.

Taking up her post in the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government with gusto, Lightbourne immediately set out to correct the ills of the justice system that she had often pointed to while in opposition.

Operating just below the public radar, Lightbourne has embarked on a major reform of the justice system, working quietly and effectively with international partners while continuing some of the programmes that were started under the previous administration.

She is also leading the Government's legislative programme, which although behind schedule, is continuing with some much-needed changes on the horizon.

no surprise

Lightbourne's performance so far has been no surprise for political watchers, even though some have expressed mild surprise at the fire she has displayed during some of the heated exchanges with Opposition Senator K.D. Knight in the Upper House.

Those exchanges are atypical of Lightbourne, who loves to work outside of the media spotlight.

But try as she might, there has been no escaping the glare of the cameras over the past two months as she stars in the real-life docudrama titled 'Dudus'.

Lightbourne is the minister charged with leading the Government's response to the United States' request for the extradition of west Kingston strongman, Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, and it appears that the Jamaican saying is apt: "anywhere she tun macca juk her".

Coke is the so-called 'president' of the JLP stronghold, Tivoli Gardens, and a man respected, or some may say feared, by the party's supporters (Labourites) islandwide.

Tivoli Gardens is the epicentre of Prime Minister Bruce Golding's West Kingston constituency, a 'Mecca' for Labourites.

major backlash

Now any government - for Lightbourne this should read any minister - which signs the extradition request for the Tivoli Gardens 'president' should expect a major backlash from staunch JLP supporters.

If the court rules that Dudus should be extradited, he might leave quietly, but Lightbourne and her government colleagues well know that his supporters will not take kindly to the decision.

However, the US says Dudus is a major drug kingpin and they want him to be tried on charges of drug and gun-running, charges which carry lengthy sentences, including possible life in prison.

So far, the US has quietly waited and responded to Jamaica's request after request for more information, a process which many say would be better suited for the courts than the justice ministry.

not bowing

But everyone knows the US will not wait indefinitely for the justice ministry to decide on its request, and our powerful neighbour to the north is known to use any lever at its disposal to squeeze small countries it believes is not bowing to its wishes.

This puts Lightbourne between the JLP supporters who have warned the administration to leave the "innocent Dudus alone" and the US, which says, "Send us the dangerous drug kingpin".

It is a tough decision for Lightbourne, and one that she will have to make shortly despite the foot-dragging and delay tactics. And that places Dorothy Casieta Lightbourne firmly and deservedly among The Sunday Gleaner's, People Under Pressure.