THE EDITOR, Madam:
The campaign of the four aspirants for president of the People's National Party (PNP) and by extension prime minister, will climax this week. The party will then introduce its new president and Prime Minister to the nation, as announced by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson. The new Prime Minister whoever he or she will be, need to possess
(1)Vision
(2) Charisma
(3) Personality
(4) Intellectual competence
(5) Sound judgement
(6) Understanding of complex issues both locall and international.
The fight for scarce benefits and spoils that was promised to those who support political candidates and party should be discontinued. The high-salaried consultants, Cabinet posts, board chairmanships and other high-profile positions should be transparent. Corruption is too rampant in the present administration and needs to be fiercely curtailed.
Our present leaders need to take a leaf out of their counterparts' book. Those leaders not only had sight, but vision also. Lynden Newland, former Minister of Labour in the JLP government, created the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) in 1966. He was fiercely opposed by his opponents and the NIS was dubbed SIN. Nevertheless he left us with a powerful legacy.
There is a lot of wrong in Jamaica today. Poor education, the justice system in disarray, murder a world record just to name a few. Whoever is victorious in the presidential race should revisit the works of some of their colonial colleagues. We need leaders with vision which goes far beyond the political horizon. Too long our leaders have been 'misty optically', it is now time for them to act 'optimistically'?
I am, etc.,
ROY CRUICKSHANK
Port Morant PO
St. Thomas
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