THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE GLEANER'S recent focus seems aimed at procuring an empty legacy from our long-serving, non-confrontational, management and action-oriented, caring and tirelessly working mainly, but self-effacing black Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson.
I know I am out of step (especially with determined detractors) to ask how rational and even intelligent it is to be headlining a J$21 million (US$350,000) travel and entertainment cost over four years as extraordinary for a Prime Minister who by all standards has had to travel and who has been working. There are those who see this as quite modest in the scheme of things. I would imagine that there may be a case or two where the managers/organisers of these trips could stint and save some dollars, but for the life of me, I can feel no excitement over the figures quoted by your contributor.
Why would any discerning journalist want to use this to tarnish 'P.J.'s legacy' as they chose to put it? Who would have done the job more cheaply and achieved as he has done for his country?
While we are all of us entitled to our opinions on this delicate subject, and I for one prefer not to quarrel with opposite views to mine, for the sake of good order and truth, this orchestrated attempt to villify our Prime Minister seems unworthy of our revered national newspaper, The Gleaner.
I am, etc.,
ANTHONY DRUMMOND
Kingston 19
