Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

A staff member takes down a photograph of Derrick Smith at the Ministry of National Security in New Kingston yesterday. - Photos by Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

The leadership of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is closing ranks today in the face of growing criticism of its handling of the change in leadership of the national security ministry.

Several callers to The Gleaner and to radio talk shows, including well-known workers in Derrick Smith's North West St Andrew constituency, yesterday complained that the veteran politician and senior JLP deputy leader had been disrespected.

They pointed to reports that the change had been leaked to the media before Smith had been informed.

Bad timing

The callers also questioned the timing of the change, which comes eight months after Smith assumed the portfolio and while he is battling amajor illness.

But yesterday Prime Minister Bruce Golding scoffed at claims that his decision to replace Smith was a slap in the face for the veteran politician.

Golding, obviously aware of the growing discontent expressed by even supporters of his party, needed no prompting to address this controversy as he welcomed the new security minister Colonel Trevor MacMillan yesterday.

The prime minister said he was not surprised about the allegations and conjecture which surrounded his decision to move Smith.

No truth

He was, however, adamant that there was no truth to claims that this indicated an acknowledgement that Smith had been a failure during his brief stint.

"The appointment of Colonel MacMillan to the post of national security is in no way an indictment on the part of the Honourable Derrick Smith," Golding said.

"It could not be an indictment because Derrick had only been in that post for eight months and eight months would, by any measurement, be too short a time to be of any relevance."

He said during the eight months Smith showed a deep commitment to the task that he had been given and had been working on what he believed was critical to the discharge of his duties.

The prime minister pointed to the current health concerns facing Smith and implied that this was the reason for the shift.

However, Golding made no comment on criticism about his handling of the affair and failed to respond to questions in the media about why Smith has been retained in the Cabinet if he is not well.

The prime minister was supported by his deputy, Dr Ken Baugh, who told The Gleaner he visited Smith and explained his medical condition to his Cabinet colleagues.

Disclosing no details

While not disclosing details of the illness, Baugh said, "there is no doubt that he is compromised by his injury and possibly will require further surgery".

The deputy prime minister also dismissed reports of a rift in the Cabinet over the decision to move Smith from the national security portfolio.

He told The Gleaner that Cabinet members understood fully the reasons for the prime minister's decision.

According to Baugh, the prime minister's decision to split the mining, energy and telecommunications portfolio, which is held by Clive Mullings, to create a ministry for Smith was also understood and accepted by the Cabinet.

Mullings will be left with energy while Smith will take charge of mining and telecommunications when he returns to work.

Smith has been at home recuperating for almost a month, having been admitted to hospital for what was described as minor surgery.

He has faced the brunt of criticisms, even before he walked into office as national security minister, with many questioning his ability to tame the crime monster.

His laid-back attitude did nothing to silence his detractors, particularly as the murder total continued to climb.

With more than 560 persons killed across the island since the start of the year, the chorus increased for Smith to be sacked and, with yesterday's change, he became the shortest-serving security minister in Jamaica in more than 40 years.

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com