THE EDITOR, Sir:Horace Ogilvie's article of August 27, titled 'Seaga should shut up', smacks of arrogance and invectiveness, which it seems have become the modus operandi of most Jamaicans living overseas - especially when it relates to the JLP and Mr. Seaga.
Having read Mr. Seaga's article, I was struck by the depth and insightfulness of the material presented, and thought how wonderful a transformation we could witness in this country even if only 50 per cent of his objectives were to be realised. But typical of shallow-minded people, instead of critiquing the suggestions put forward by Mr. Seaga - or better yet offer alternatives - what does Ogilvie do? He seeks to lambaste Mr. Seaga with cheap, impertinent talk.
And what is this thing about "both regimes"? Does Ogilvie realise that the PNP has been in power for over 16 years - almost twice as long as Seaga was - yet he talks about the failures of "both regimes" as if to justify the prolonged failures of the present administration? When are you people going to start holding the Government responsible for the state of the country's affairs without sugar-coating it?
When the JLP under Seaga took over in 1980, there were massive food shortages, daily power outages, an economy on the verge of collapsing, and an alarming crime rate. But did we accept then that since the PNP had left us half staving it was O.K. for the JLP to continue to starve us? Hell no, we needed food and not excuses; we needed economic growth and not excuses; we needed a reduction in crime and not excuses and that is what we got.
Ogilvie, it's about time you call a spade a spade and place the blame where it belongs. Now if you do not have any positive suggestions as to how we can get this country out of the mess we are in, then shut up and enjoy Tony Blair's hospitality.
I am, etc.,
PATRICK WALKER
Kingston
Tracovic@yahoo.com
