TWO THOUSAND AND three was a rough year for many of us here in Jamaica, and indeed for millions more across the world, but for people like Edward Seaga and Saddam Hussein, 2003 could not have ended fast enough.

The latter, I believe, was significantly worse off because despite Seaga losing two lawsuits, having to apologise to Skeng Don, and having to pay several million in back taxes and still owing the Government more than a billion dollars (that's US$20 million multiplied by 61), Saddam had his entire country ripped out from under him so much so he had to seek refuge in a hole, eating fast food, and having to constantly dress in rags, even though it is believed he had more than US$40 billion stashed away in accounts overseas.

However, it is Eddie that I feel sorry for most. And here is why.

Saddam, whichever way you look at it is a bully who was beaten up by a bigger bully. Like the ruling party here in Jamaica, Saddam probably felt invincible. No boy could test Saddam and his Baath Party officials, and together they drained the country's resources buying lavish homes, cars, property all over the world (sounds familiar doesn't it). And, of course, if George Bush and his allies are to be believed, creating weapons of mass destruction. By the way, nobody can find those WMDs anywhere.

Eddie, on the other hand, just wanted to be inside Jamaica House just one last time, to be called Prime Minister, to rub shoulders with Bush and Blair and Kofi Annan and other such world leaders, to be out there representing Jamaica armed by the myth of his genius as a financial wizard. (Mark you, it seems to be a curse, this label as financial wizard. Just ask Omar.)

Never planned

Plus, I am sure there are other reasons why Eddie wanted to be Prime Minister just one last time, but only he can tell you what those reasons are. But then he never planned for what was to happen in October 2002, and it was all downhill from there. (I guess you can't win an election campaign on being able to impregnate your wife even though you're 70. I guess if his wife was 70, things would have been different.)

Here comes 2003 and the dominoes began to tumble. Here is what happened, in no particular order; Eddie hears that he has to pay Government back taxes. He sells his stake in his company so that he can settle that debt, he is then ordered to pay Leslie Harper, former deputy commissioner of police, millions in a libel suit, and the list goes on and on. But all those things I am sure paled in comparison to what happened just two months ago, when his stranglehold on the leadership of the Jamaica Labour Party was severely shaken by a new breed of politicians rising within the ranks of his party. The nadir for Edward Phillip George Seaga must have been the point when he literally begged for more time before he stepped aside as leader of the party he has led for what seems like an eternity.

It is my hope though that this year will be kinder to good ol' Eddie. In truth he has done much for this country. He has done much harm too, but, hey, who among politicians can cast that first stone?