The Editor, Sir:

Something is troubling 'Butch' Stewart! His extensive response to Wykeham McNeill's comments clearly indicates a concern for a new brand of competition in the tourism market. In the past, Issa and Stewart have had a long, distinguished and rewarding run.

His response to the article quoting me from an interview given to The Gleaner, speaks to what he says is my "dislike for John Lynch [which] is legendary."

If something else was not distracting 'Butch' he would have read that I said "Lynch is a good fellow" and I went on to say "I was confident that Lynch can perform IF he does not allow his superiors at Sandals to influence his decisions at the JTB."

I also described the new chairman John Lynch "as a very good marketing person." Therefore, Butch should be able to understand where the concern of so many really rests.

Butch says that people who know him know that he is not afraid to say what is on his mind. This is an admirable trait. People who have known me over the years know that Frank is frank.

Finally, Butch says my memory is failing, but it has not failed to the extent that I have forgotten how in the mid-80s, Mr. Stewart at that time president of the JHTA, quit the JTB Board on the grounds of conflicts of interest involving the then JLP Minster of Tourism, Hugh Hart, and the JTB chairman, John Issa. He demanded that the Government fire them both! Needless to say, Mr. Seaga, the Prime Minister, completely ignored him. It was left to John Pringle to publicly reprimand Mr. Stewart for his uncouth behaviour.

I am, etc.,

FRANK PRINGLE

frank_pringle@hotmail.com