THE EDITOR, Sir:
MRS. BEVERLEY Manley's column of March 27,2006, "The PNP-seamless transitions", purports to present a historical perspective of leadership transition in the PNP. However, those who might have not been familiar with Mrs Manley's contention, could easily be misled by the article.
The contest between Mr Patterson and Mrs Simpson-Miller to succeed Michael Manley, hardly resulted in inflicting much hurt in the party. When the truth is told, Mr Patterson was forced out of the Cabinet of Michael Manley in 1991 by the "Shell Waiver Scandal". Mr Patterson was then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Planning (MFP). Mr Hugh Small succeeded him as MFP.
PARTY BIGWIGS
Subsequently, Michael Man-ley announced his retirement in 1992. Mr. Patterson declared his candidacy. Apparently, only a few party bigwigs, including Hugh Small and Dr D.K. Duncan, felt that Mr Patterson should face competition. Mrs Simpson-Miller's candidacy was sponsored and she was trounced. That race might have left some scratches but certainly not wounds. It is, therefore, an exaggeration for Mrs Manley to argue that "the transition was seamless due largely to Mr Patterson's personality of non-confrontation and his capacity to heal the divisions within the party that resulted from that contest."
Neither is Mrs Manley's account reliable when she states that "One of the critical ways in which this was achieved was by ensuring that all the former Cabinet Ministers who supported Portia retained their posts in the Cabinet. This was an amazing feat of leadership for which Mr Patterson is hardly credited".
The return of Mr. Patterson led to the political demise of Mr. Hugh Small. So Mrs. Manley's records need to be corrected.
I am, etc .,
LIONEL RUSSELL
Ensom City
St. Catherine
