The Editor, Sir:

In response to a letter by Mr. Jones published on Tuesday, November 21, the Jamaica Civil Service Association has been in contact with Mr. Christie, lending our support to him and his staff. We also sent out a press release to all the media houses on our position on the treatment of the office of the Contractor General, and Mr. Christie in particular.

We feel very strongly that the public servant who speaks out as an agent of the employer (the Government, who is the steward of the public interest, yes, they too are public servants) should be supported by the employer. This vilification of a public servant doing his job without the exuberance with which some have acted in the past goes against the tenets of whistle-blowing that is expected by every public servant by none other than the Auditor General. This whistle-blowing is how a lot of things are uncovered in Government

You would also appreciate that while not being afraid, we do not want to be characterised as Labourites for speaking out against the Government's treatment of Mr. Christie, their appointee (you would recall that the Opposition was against his appointment) as some members of the Government are prone to do as a knee-jerk reaction to being challenged publicly.

I am, etc.,

O'NEIL W. GRANT

Honorary Treasurer

Jamaica Civil Service

Association