Former Leader of the Opposition Edward Seaga (second right) and wife, Carla, bid farewell to members of the Senate after they paid tribute to him at Gordon House yesterday. -Junior Dowie photo
Robert Hart
, Staff Reporter
THE SENATE yesterday paid extensive tribute to former Leader of the Opposition Edward Seaga, who demitted office a little under two weeks ago.
Mr. Seaga was invited back, for a few hours, to the Upper Chamber of Jamaica's Parliament where he began his political career more than 40 years ago.
Senator Burchell Whiteman, leader of government business in the Senate, described Mr. Seaga as a thinker, an implementer, and a citizen of Jamaica whose personal qualities have endeared him to many.
"I pay tribute to him for his ability to articulate his vision with the clarity, the confidence and the sense of purpose which leave his audience with no doubt about what he wants and what his intentions are," Senator Whiteman said in opening the debate on a resolution recognising Mr. Seaga's contribution to the nation.
"Whether or not you agree with him in terms of the detail of his strategy you would have to recognise the depth of preparation which informs the positions which he takes," the government leader added.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Senator Anthony Johnson, leader of Opposition business, thanked Mr. Seaga for making significant contributions to the development of the capital city of Kingston.
Meanwhile Senator Bruce Golding, leader-designate of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), said that Mr. Seaga was a leader with a style that could sometimes lead to confrontations. But he commended the former Opposition leader for daring "to be a Daniel" in his stance on issues.
DIVISION
Senator Golding also called on the nation's leaders to grasp Mr. Seaga's final words to the Lower House on January 18, and make a greater attempt to reduce the division between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots'.
"The greatest tribute that we can pay to him is to summon the will and to summon all the creative energies that we possess to bring about the transformation that he tried so hard to achieve," said Mr. Golding.
During his final presentation in the House of Representatives 10 days ago, Mr. Seaga lamented the failure of successive governments to uplift the poor over the past 45 years. Several other senators, on both the government and Opposition sides of the aisle, also spoke. Among them were Senator Prudence Kidd-Deanes, Mr. Seaga's long-time assistant, and independent Senator Norman Horne, who recently resigned from the JLP.
Opposition Senator, Shirley Williams, who worked in Mr. Seaga's office during his term as prime minister in the 1980s, spoke of the compassionate man the public never got a chance to know. Mr. Seaga, who was accompanied by his wife Carla, smiled at times during the recollections.
Recently appointed Opposition Leader Dr. Ken Baugh, and Ossie Harding, former attorney-general and JLP Senator, were on hand to witness the accolades.
