THE EDITOR, Sir:

Reference is made to your front page report of May 13, 2008 on the National Security Ministers from 1970 with the number of murders, which you state occurred under the period of office of the ministers.

You indicated that Winston Spaulding was Minister of National Security for the years 1980 to 1985. Further, the murders for 1980 were 889. The Gleaner should recall that I was Minister of National Security in the JLP Administration from November 1980 to October 1986, that is for some six weeks in 1980. Clearly a person who or an administration which assumed office about six weeks before the end of a year cannot be accurately portrayed to have been in office for that year when the awful and destructive mischief had already been set afoot for almost a year before the new administration.

Misleading

Further, my late friend and colleague Errol Anderson succeeded me in November 1986, although depicted as being minister for 1986, which is also misleading if the period is not explicitly stated as being from November 1986.

I have had to explain this to many, who have sought clarification from me on this matter.

The Gleaner could never forget the turbulent year of 1980 with the high murder rate and the troubling introduction of many high-powered weapons in our society. The Cuban Ambassador Estrada demonstrated against the Gleaner in that period with his hissing comrades calling Mr. Seaga's name and my name among others, trying to intimidate The Gleaner and put press freedom under pressure.

Intimidation of our society

Fortunately, the intimidation of our society did not work with the distinct help of institutions, including The Gleaner which refused to be intimidated. All this should be fresh in the minds of all of us who lived through that period. Your paper initiated a recent interview with me in which you reported the fact that the M16s, which where frozen by the PNP Administration during 1980 while high-powered weapons used to attack the society, including the Security Forces. It was my intervention after becoming Minister during November, the 11th month of the year1980 that steps were taken on my initiative to unfreeze the order of high-powered guns for the police, which had been deliberately frozen up to November, 1980 before I became Minister of National Security.

These weapons arrived within weeks after well over 800 persons had been killed before the JLP formed the Government in November 1980.

Far-reaching impact

There is, therefore, no doubt that The Gleaner is among the institutions which could never forget that era of madness during which many of us stood up to resist the terror which rocked the society and has had far-reaching impact on our country even up to this time.

Kindly place the facts in context, since many persons have been misled and confused. There was no indication that I only assumed office during November of 1980. Further, there is no indication of anyone else having been Minister from January to October 1980 as there was.

It is said that "those who forget the past are bound to repeat it". That painful period of Jamaica's history should not be forgotten since it contains many valuable lessons which we must draw on to help us on our way forward.

Best wishes.

I am, etc.,

WINSTON SPAULDING,

Q.C.