THE EDITOR, Sir:

I support the views being expressed by the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and other interest groups that the comments attributed to National Security Minister Peter Bunting in a United States documentary on Christopher 'Dudus' Coke are reckless and damaging to Jamaica's reputation.

Bunting, a man who harbours ambitions to lead his party and, by extension, this country, seems, like his party's immediate predecessor minister of national security, willing to go to any length, whatever the damage to this country's interests, to ingratiate himself to particular foreign interests to advance his selfish agenda.

His continued reckless and, in some instances, puerile and hypocritical behaviour is seemingly further motivated to advance the most arrogant position of the People's National Party (PNP), of which he is a member.

Presumably, as articulated by PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill, Bunting is maintaining that troublesome belief that it is essential for the PNP to form the Government, so anything and everything that will cause them to be and remain in Government is considered necessary.

Such a party position ought not to be taken lightly or dismissed as mere hogwash, however. If we are to be guided by history, we would be reminded of events by the PNP aimed at seriously disturbing our cherished competitive democracy.

Understandably, Bunting and the PNP, like any other politician or political party, function fundamentally to win elections, and you win elections by defeating your opponents.

However, attempts to effectively obliterate the JLP, even if it means seriously harming Jamaica's interests in the process, ought not to be countenanced. We desire not a one-party state, especially led by a party that has been a poor steward of the economy and ineffective in maintaining greater order in the society.

KEVIN K.O. SANGSTER

sangstek@msn.com [2]