THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE ANSWER to your headline of Sunday, July 31, 'Living large?' is not at all, for there is no evidence particularised to the contrary. The particulars demonstrate a hard working P.J. Patterson, Head of State, whose government expended as little as $21 million over a period as long as four years travelling on the people's business and earning for the people from those travels, I am sure, billions in the medium and long term. What a great return on such a small investment!
Incidentally, I think it is a shame that the excellent scholar and performer in the person of Minister Whiteman received only the paltry pocket money of US$25.00 and sometimes US$30.00 per day on official overseas visits when public servants on local duties received more as subsistence and many times more on travels overseas.
With reference to the article captioned 'Patterson's collapsing legacy', if Dr. Penrole Brown, as an economist and author of the article, have any interest in Jamaica at all, he would offer suggestions instead of making unfounded criticisms and mis-statements of facts.
What is certain about P.J. is that no political administration in the history of this country has ever implemented indispensible Highway 2000, attracting nearly as much foreign investment, contained capital flight, improved the health of the nation, etcetera, since he has taken the baton passed from our great leaders of the past with the assistance of our enterprising people, has made Jamaica into a First World country in many respects.
I am, etc.,
OWEN S. CROSBIE
oss@cwjamaica.com
3 Hotel Street
Mandeville
Manchester
