The Editor, Sir:

The odious political outpourings against the Contractor General make me marvel at the obvious decline in the standard of public discourse, as well as the seeming somnolence of the Jamaica Civil Service Association.

While his detractors are busy belittling themselves, the CG stands tall and appears to be walking faithfully in the footsteps of the many distinguished persons who administered our public service in the past. He has stoutly defended his position and conducted himself with dignity and decorum; but there was a time when he would not have had to stand alone in resisting intrusions upon the integrity of the civil service.

The present Contractor General revives memories of public servants such as Jimmy Lloyd, Sir Laurence Lindo; Earle Maynier; V.C. Smith and 'Fi Fi' Smith; Vin McFarlane; Sir Edgerton Richardson; Don and Gladstone Mills; Herbert Walker, G. Arthur Brown; Sir John Mordecai and a host of others who laid the foundations of a public service that was second to none in the Caribbean and highly rated throughout the Commonwealth. This is the type of company in which some latter-day politicians seem to be extremely uncomfortable. Thus, the public service has become paralysed by ministerial interference and manipulation; political appointees and new-fangled executive agencies.

The treatment meted out to Mr. Christie is to be deplored, not only by the general public, but also by the Civil Service Association. We must all try to stop the rot by sending a firm message to the likes of the Junior Minister of Local Government and his colleague the former Foreign Minister. We must insist even when we are well aware that the days of knightly behaviour are past and that harrying is more and more evident in the society.

I am, etc.,

KEN JONES

alllerdyce@hotmail.com