Dear Editor,

I’m calling for a new general secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) because the party needs a person who’s a great mediator.

The selection of Dr Nigel Clarke to represent the party in St Andrew North Western is bittersweet. This is the first time I’ve seen Derrick Smith so upset with the party, as I have never heard of him being in any ‘bangarang’ with the hierarchy of the party. Smith, it is said, felt that this is the first time during his history in politics he has been disrespected like this.

While I’m in support of Clarke, I’m not in favour of the disrespectful route the party took with Smith. The way they’ve parachuted Dr Nigel Clarke was wrong. I strongly believe that one day Clarke will be the finance minister of Jamaica. However, he’s my favourite right now to take over Karl Samuda’s ministry.

I’ve been hearing some misled Labourites talking about dynasties, especially families, but any Member of Parliament who doesn’t have a succession plan for his constituency is incompetent. Based on the reasoning of these Labourites, Bruce Golding and Alva Ross should not have got their fathers’ seat.

Were it not for family dynasty, the JLP would still be in Opposition post-February 25, 2016 if they had gone with Alexander Williams, instead of Imani Duncan.

I’m in favour of delegate run-offs in JLP strongholds, but I’m not so in favour of delegate run-offs in swing seats.

The other issue I have with the current general secretary is that if he had done his study of the St Ann North Western constituency, he would see to it that Senator Ruel Reid is not sent to that constituency.

Mike Henry, Pearnel Charles, Karl Samuda, J C Hutchinson, Olivia “Babsy” Grange, and Rudyard Spencer are over 70 years of age. I know many of them are taking note of what’s going on in Derrick Smith’s seat.

I’m calling on the powerful central executive to fire Dr Horace Chang or have a vote of no confidence in his leadership through a secret ballot.

Teddylee Gray

Ocho Rios, St Ann

teddylee.gray@gmail.com