Prime Minister P.J. Patterson in various moods as he fields questions at the Gleaner's Editors' Forum at the company's North Street offices yesterday. - Rudolph Brown/Staff Photographer
PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson yesterday strongly defended Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, against criticisms that he had meddled in the internal affairs of Jamaica.
Responding to questions at The Gleaner's Editors Forum yesterday, Mr. Patterson said he did not consider Dr. Gonsalves' appearance at a People's National Party (PNP) rally in Bog Walk where he urged voters to re-elect the PNP to be inappropriate.
The Prime Minister said there were parties, whether in Europe or in the Caribbean, which are invited to come and speak at fund-raisers in Jamaica.
"Very often they have endorsed broadly the positions being taken by the particular party. "That is part and parcel of a tradition...the global tradition of an exchange of political thoughts," Mr Patterson said.
"Dr. Gonsalves has been to every annual conference of the PNP that I can think of..as leader of the St. Vincent Labour Party...I don't believe he has a right to come when he is in the opposition, that disappears when he is in the Government. Tell me what is it that he said that was so outrageous?"
Dr. Gonsalves, in his endorsement of the Patterson administration, urged Jamaicans not to go "backwards" and "squander the opportunity to re-elect a man who the Caribbean and the Western Hemisphere cannot do without." He also called Mr. Patterson "the most respected voice in the Caribbean and a man who commands respect among world leaders."
The comments have been criticised in the media and by the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) which has accused Dr. Gonsalves of interfering in the affairs of a sovereign state.
Mr. Patterson made it clear that he would not concede an inch from his position and accused the media of practising a double standard. "Not so long ago, the Prime Minister of a visiting island (referring to Prime Minister Owen Arthurs of Barbados) came to Jamaica. He questioned the wisdom of a policy option which we were pursuing to salvage the financial sector and to create FINSAC," an animated Mr. Patterson said.
"It got banner headlines. Everybody praised the wisdom of this Prime Minister. I heard not one person say was this interfering with our internal affairs," he said.
The Prime Minister questioned whether somebody in the media in Trinidad or elsewhere had a right to write a column to express himself in favour of or against the Government..."to be critical of me or to applaud me for something which I have done. Is that interference...how are you going to define it? If he had come and spoken at a dinner would that have been alright? Is it because he spoke at a public meeting...what is the difference? And what did he say...what did he say?"
Reminded that Dr. Gonsalves was not merely a spectator at the function but was in fact advising the audience on which way they should vote, Mr. Patterson, responded:
"He said we are in an era of globalisation. He said that they need leadership not only in Jamaica but in the entire Caribbean that would enable us to meet the challenges of globalisation. He expressed the opinion, for what it is worth, that I have been able to contribute to this process.
"Somebody has to explain to me the breach that was committed by Dr. Gonsalves," he said. "Is it because he is Prime Minister? What if he was just a member of his party? Let me say to you, the people in the entire Caribbean have a critical interest in the outcome of the elections in Jamaica as do we in any other territory in the Caribbean."
Pressed on whether the country could expect more Caribbean leaders to make similar gestures on behalf of his part, Mr. Patterson said, "several more of them will be coming between now and the election."
