Dear Editor,

I support the Jamaica Observer Sunday Brew commentary on March 24, 2019 with the headline ‘Appoint Pearnel Charles Jr as minister’.

Currently Karl Samuda is in charge of the education portfolio and, according to Prime Minister Andrew Holness, that portfolio will be under his watch for one to two months. Therefore, the prime minister will have to appoint an information and youth minister.

The suggestion of Robert Nesta Morgan being appointed to the Senate and thereafter given the information is laughable.

First and foremost, you need someone who cannot only sell this Government, but someone who can put across a point without being aggressive. We don’t want the same situation as existed with Daryl Vaz, as the media just couldn’t get along with him. We need the right person.

Last Friday, in the Senate, Pearnel Charles Jr replaced Ruel Reid as acting leader of Government business in the absence of Kamina Johnson Smith.

The only four people I see who can sell this Government information-wise are Kamina Johnson Smith, Pearnel Charles Jr, Kerensia Morrison, and Floyd Green.

I believe that maybe Prime Minister Andrew Holness could even consider promoting Pearnel Charles Jr to foreign affairs and foreign trade minister and give Kamina Johnson Smith information and youth, and maybe later the education portfolio. Also Pearnel Charles Jr could only be given the information and youth portfolios only, and send Floyd Green back to the education ministry as full minister.

The front-runners to be appointed to the Senate are Robert Miller, Tova Hamilton, Sharon Hay-Webster, and Dennis Meadows. Robert Miller, a former advisor to the education ministry, could also be considered for the post of new education minister.

According to rumours, Clarendon North Central is settling and the hierarchy is supporting Charles Jr over Robert Nesta Morgan. interesting to note the prime minister and the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party have not yet endorsed Charles Jr publicly, and may never do that.

The nation should not be surprised if Charles Jr is overlooked even for a Cabinet position.

Teddylee Gray

Ocho Rios, St Ann

teddylee.gray@gmail.com