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Patterson
PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson yesterday cancelled a weekend trip to Atlanta, which included meetings with a number of African leaders, in the aftermath of his party's loss in Thursday's by-election.
Although Jamaica House made no formal announcement of the Prime Minister's decision, a source close to him confirmed the postponement of the trip last night. Asked the reason, the source would only attribute it to "changed circumstances," which has been interpreted to mean the loss of the by-election.
Mr. Patterson was scheduled to arrive in Atlanta yesterday along with a number of other foreign heads of state, including Presidents Thabo Mbeki, of South Africa, Alusegun Obasanjo, of Nigeria, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, of Angola and Benjamin Mkapa, of Tanzania.
Deputy Prime Minister, Seymour Mullings, was also scheduled to make the trip, but there was no information available last night as to whether he would go ahead.
According to Jamaica's Honorary Consul in Atlanta, Vin Martin, he received a telephone call early yesterday morning from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informing him that the trip had been cancelled. Mr. Martin told The Gleaner that no reason was given for the cancellation.
The Prime Minister should have gone to Atlanta yesterday as a guest of former Atlanta Mayor, Andrew Young, to participate in his weekend-long celebration to mark his 69th birthday. The programme included a gala reception at the Hyatt Hotel in Atlanta and also the renaming of International Boulevard, the Andrew Young Boulevard.
Mr. Patterson was also scheduled to meet with heads of Jamaican organisations living in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. It is understood that Jamaica's ambassador to the United States, Dr. Richard Bernal, is to represent Prime Minister Patterson at the celebration.
