Dear Editor,

Every well-thinking Jamaican who supports democracy must be hanging their heads in shame at what is going on in the Jamaica Labour Party as they prepare for this leadership race. Somne of the utterances stink and it seems like Andrew Holness is not even in charge of the party, as it is on auto-pilot. The kind of accusations that both sides are levelling against each other are so scandalous and vulgar that many party supporters must be sick to their stomach.

The utterances coming from one side are particularly sad. Everald Warmington, Babsy Grange, Pearnel Charles have all done irreparable damage to an already crippled JLP, and yet Mr Holness, who is in charge, is seemingly behind the scenes pushing the fire.

He has stated on more than one occassion that he is all for a leadeship race, but yet on the other hand he speaks about persons backstabbing him and how many persons are not ‘true Laborites’.

Let us recall that right before news of the leadership race started it was reported that Holness made an outburst in a Standing Committee meeting that anyone who dares to challenge him, he has dirt on them to expose. We could not ask for more dirt than what is being given to us at this point.

First, there was the news where Holness said he stood back and watched the PNP blame Audley Shaw for the bad economic conditions we were in. Then there was the report that Shaw was the one who advised him to call the elections, because he could not prepare a budget that would not see Jamaicans being heavily taxed and thus it led to them losing the elections. And the mud-slinging has got worse.

Let me hope that the Jamaican people are watching keenly and recognise that democracy is lost in this party. How could they then offer themselves as alternative to the PNP when they cannot manage their party affairs with decency.

Ralston Chamberlain

Toronto, Canada

ralston.chamberlain@alum.utoronto.ca