The Editor, Sir:

As an Irishman by birth, and a Jamaican by marriage, I feel I really must comment on a couple of things. Does the present government really take us all to be fools?

There are far more questions still outstanding, than have been answered, about the Trafigura debacle, and the silence emanating from the People's National Party (PNP) speaks volumes. Mr. Golding really needs to follow this one through.

After working in the airline business for over 35 years, in both Europe and America, my head is ready to explode when I think of the handling of Air Jamaica, and more especially, the London route.

Branson must still be laughing after receiving the 'present' of all JM's "slots" at Heathrow, for the amount he paid for them in no way represents their true value. Any cursory check on Google for 'Heathrow/slots/prices' will show just how ridiculous the amounts we have been told, are. Mr. Shaw really needs to get to the bottom of this, as well.

I save the best for last - an article in The Gleaner of Wednesday, August 1, headlined: 'Paulwell cleared on Solutrea - Cabinet review team finds nothing 'untoward''.

Basically the gist of the story is that Paulwell was absolved of any wrongdoing in this latest fiasco. When questioned further, Buchanan asked: "What would he be blamed for?"

The icing on the cake comes in the last sentence of the article - "The review team was comprised of Buchanan, Dr. Jean Dixon, Permanent Secretary in the Technology Ministry, Dr. Carlton Davis, cabinet secretary, and MR. PAULWELL" (my capitals).

This is hard to admit as an Irishman, but, words fail me! Are we really supposed to sit back, and accept this? I can see Saddam Hussein kicking himself over this, as well, when he was being tried. "Boy, yu know, If only I could have been a member of my own jury."

I truly feel sad for this country, because it has now reached the absolute nadir in terms of government and governance. If it is true that every country gets the government it deserves, then I am afraid that we are all in for an extremely long and rough ride, over an even longer rocky road.

I am, etc.,

P. COCHRANE

Stockport, Cheshire

England

fishchipsnpeas@gmail.com

Via Go-Jamaica