THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WISH to comment on Mr. Patterson's endorsement of having the Prime Minister of St. Vincent on his political platform.
Please Mr. Prime Minister: Mr. Gonsalves was introduced on your political platform as the Prime Minister of St. Vincent. That point was emphasised over and over. Your comparison of Mr. Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados, making criticisms of your financial policies when he visited Jamaica and that of Mr. Gonsalves on your political platform, telling Jamaicans who to vote for, is about two totally unrelated incidents.
You and Mr. Gonsalves crossed the 'line.' Mr. Arthur did not. I challenge you to invite Mr. Arthur to come on your political platform. I am absolutely sure he will turn you down on the grounds of ethics.
Jamaica has already been destroyed as an economic power in the Caribbean. Trinidad and Tobago is constantly reminding us Jamaicans that they 'believe in Jamaica' - that's why they are buying out our financial, insurance and other institutions. Now we will soon have Vincentians boasting that they had to come here and tell us for whom we should vote and what is good for Jamaica.
You know, Mr. Prime Minister, I would like to mention that Mr. Gonsalves couldn't tell us anything about you that we don't already know. Have you ever thought about this? As a matter of fact, we Jamaicans are in a better position to tell Mr. Gonsalves about you. Think about this, before you embarrass Jamaica again, by inviting others like Mr. Gonsalves to join you at election time.
Jamaica has no objections if you invite Mr. Gonsalves, as leader of his party, to visit all your party conferences, but that is where it should remain. You asked why Mr. Gonsalves could come to your party conferences when he was in the Opposition in St. Vincent and why he should not come as the Prime Minister to join you on the political platform.
The answer is very clear and I will explain. When you are a king, you can no longer do what you used to do as a prince. A family man, a married woman can no longer do what they used to do when they were single. You see the point! Similarly, Mr. Gonsalves, now as Prime Minister, has different responsibilities, from those when he was the Opposition. This includes respect for Jamaicans and his own Vincentians. So you see Mr. Prime Minister, what you and Mr. Gonsalves did was outrageous. Please stop.
I am, etc.,
DANNY PERSAUD
Stony Hill PO
Stockfarm Road
Golden Spring
