Perspective: Sir. Alex. Bustamante was 80 When Made PM…

 If Prime Minister Andrew Michael Holness wants to be loyal to the irrefutable historical facts of the JLP …. then discarding senior ministers in his cabinet reshuffle is as anti Labour Party as is fascism is to the Jamaican body politic.  There is great value in age and maturity.  Bustamante despite his fine wit and strong self- confidence initially received only an elementary education. we learnt that he later got some further private tuition. Alas! He later got numerous accolades, including an honorary doctorate and made National Hero.  Chief, as he was affectionately called was no intellectual …. certainly not on paper or through formal schooling. In short, he was a self made individual.

Audley Shaw, 65

The former Finance and Public Service minister Hon. Audley Shaw, with his Masters Degree is intellectually far more formally educated than Sir Alex and is quite a good performer on the job.  Shaw’s achievements as Finance Minister etc. has earned him local and international acclaim. Hon Mike Henry at 83 and Hon. Karl Samuda 76 have made great contributions to moving the party forward … they are not dunces either, despite their senior years. They still in my perspective, have much to offer. Do you not think so? Look at Pearnel Charles Snr. at 82+ is Speaker of the House and a MP.  The Chinese revere age, seeing it as wisdom.  Enough said!

Betrayal Of Trust

When it is perceived that PM Holness discarded ageing MPs from their Ministries, he is not sitting on the best side of JLP history. As political heir of probably the greatest political legacy in the Western Hemisphere …. Holness is expected to be loyal and bear respectful allegiance to the  policies, customs, and culture of the JLP.  For Holness to abandon these tenets can easily be viewed as a serious betrayal of trust.

Sir Alexander Bustamante

Bustamante is believed to have entered representational politics at the young age of 54. It was the win at the Referendum polls of 1961 that catapulted him to be PM, having been Premier.  In the general elections of 1944 the JLP won a landslide victory. Universal Adult Suffrage was born.  Busta’s popularity with agitating for the working class, coupled with the events at Frome in 1938 helped to make this possible. Hence his founding the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union BITU).  Protecting the rights of workers is an important legacy Holness dare not ignore.

Referendum

It was PNP’s loss … having decided to ask electors to vote to stay in the West Indies Federation that sealed their fate.  The JLP asked the voters to say “No” which in their wisdom they did (in the Referendum of) 1961 that separated us from the West Indies Federation.  On August 6, 1962 on the attainment of Independence from Britain that Busta became Jamaica’s fist Prime Minister in Independent Jamaica.

In September 1962 Busta wed his long time Secretary Gladys Longbridge.  He transitioned on August 6, 1977 at 93.

Commentary

The JLP has a distinguished history of service to Jamaica.  As guardian of this legacy, we hope Holness is fully conscious of this responsibility not to drop the baton. Age should not be used to discard stalwarts who are healthy …. from serving their constituency and ultimately contribute to national growth & economic development.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is a pre independence Jamaican, & keen observer of local politics. PM Holness is our first PM born post Independence (of 1962).

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is SIC & Photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.