THE EDITOR, Sir:
IT CAME as a shock to me to read your editorial of September 1 chastising Dr. Ralph Gonsalves for his enthusiastic support of the PNP administration and Mr. Patterson in their bid to retain office. Your comments brought back to me instantly the bright days of 1968 when as students of the University (under the leadership of Ralph) we protested the hostile and myopic behaviour of the then JLP government meted out to one of the West Indies greatest martyrs, Walter Rodney.
Many of us learned during that period of tender development (I was just 18 at the time) the importance of commitment, the feel of being a Caribbean man, and the meaning of regional unity.
I remember the article in The Gleaner during the aftermath of our protest rally. It would appear that your sentiments reflected today perfectly mirror the views of your newspapers at that time, some 34 years later. As you would have it, the gulf that existed and still exists should remain intact.
A lot has transpired since those days. Many have fled to distant reaches of the globe. Many are no longer with us. Relatively few have stuck to the fight for Caribbean unity, freedom and justice as both Mr. Patterson and Dr. Gonsalves.
Rather than promoting the idea of hiding behind national boundaries that are now no more real than the Internet boundary, I suggest that you encourage the JLP and Mr. Seaga to publicly display their support from outside of Jamaica so that Jamaicans can see for themselves the relationships that will eventually shape international policy and significant business deals which will certainly follow the election of a new government.
I am etc.,
CLYDE PEMBERTON M.D.
Pembclyde@aol.com
90 Washington Street
East Orange, New Jersey
Via Go-Jamaica
