The thousands of Jamaicans, home and abroad, who were part of the loud chorus demanding the resignation of Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding, are unsatisfied that the prime minister has not heeded the calls, but instead has shown contrition and apologized publicly.

On Monday evening Golding told the nation that the order to extradite Coke – a matter that has dragged on from last August – will now be signed. He apologized for his handling of the Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke extradition, which has embroiled the nation in a bitter internal and international controversy, and the related Manatt, Phelps and Phillips (U.S. law firm) debacle.

Some Jamaicans are asking why the sudden change of heart. Why did Golding decide to extradite Coke now, when he spent the last nine months defending his original position? After all, there has been no indication that (as the prime minister has previously argued) his government is satisfied that the U.S. authorities did not in fact breach the provisions under the Jamaican Constitution, by charging Coke for drug- and gun-trafficking based on evidence gathered through illegal wiretapping.

Why also, has the decision to extradite Coke been associated with Golding’s somber apology, coming immediately after the calls for his resignation? Is this Golding’s quid-pro-quo? “I give up Coke, and you let me remain your prime minister?”

But, alas, there are still more questions. How will Coke be physically taken into custody to be extradited to the U.S.? Since the prime minister has publicly announced that Coke will be extradited, will Coke be sitting and waiting in Tivoli, or wherever, for the security forces to apprehend him? This story still has many chapters to be written.

In the meantime, Golding has decided to eat crow and come to the nation in humble penitence and apologize. It is good for anyone, especially big powerful men, who recognize their wrong, to apologize. The question is whether such apologies are genuine. Will the apologetic individual be serious about mending his faults and not repeating them? Unfortunately, too often the words “I’m sorry” are like that of the wife-beater who after severely beating his wife contritely apologizes so as to get her back into the matrimonial home, only to repeat his actions when all seems well in the marriage. Unfortunately, despite the husband’s apologies, the wife will hardly ever trust him not to repeat the beatings.

Will Golding’s apology make thousands of Jamaicans, including those in the Diaspora, trust him again? Trust, unfortunately for Mr. Golding, is not regained by an apology. Like the wife-beater, people will always wonder if Golding will act contrary again. They believe for months he must have known his actions – especially his claim that he had no knowledge of any arrangement between the Jamaican government and Manatt – were wrong. This is the problem. It is a fact of life that when people lose trust in others, it is very difficult to regain that trust. Maybe, as some are still arguing, it would have been better for Mr. Golding to have still announced his resignation after he made his public apology. This resignation would not necessarily mean the end of his political career, as he could have had a chance for redemption as an ordinary member of parliament. Moreover, there is precedence for this. When former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson resigned as a government minister over the Shell oil scandal, he returned to be hailed by the PNP as its leader and subsequently prime minister.

Now that Golding has publicly stated that despite the calls for his resignation he is heeding the calls from the JLP to stay in office, he has the additional job of rebuilding the trust he so badly damaged. He is going to be closely watched to see how effectively he deals with Coke’s actual extradition without any repercussions on Jamaica’s national security, and how effectively he deals with Jamaica’s escalating crime problem. He will be closely watched to see if he has the strength to take strong actions against the high rate of violent crimes, while simultaneously ensuring that there is economic growth and job creation in the country. Also, all Jamaicans will be watching and listening how he deals with the hangover from the Manatt affair, as there are still unanswered questions, like who paid approximately $50,000 to the U.S. law firm.

Jamaicans have little alternative but to accept Golding’s apology, but they want to see a genuine leader who will speak the truth, no matter the cost, and who acts courageously, no matter the consequences. The ball is back in Bruce Golding’s court; can he handle that ball effectively and score? All Jamaicans are waiting to see.