Dear Editor,

There is no doubt that a culture of dishonesty and untrustworthiness seems to be rearing its ugly head in Jamaica today. This state of affairs is exemplified by the fact that PM Golding has finally admitted that he authorised his political party to retain the legal services of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to lobby the US government on behalf of Christopher Coke who is wanted in the US under an extradition request.

What makes the behaviour of Mr Golding so disturbing is the fact that his admission comes after a prolonged period of vehement denials that he had any involvement in this lobbying arrangement. It is therefore not surprising that the prime minister’s behaviour has created a political firestorm in Jamaica so much so that there is a widespread call for his resignation.

I am not overconcerned about the pros and cons of the extradition request. What concerns me most is the prime minister’s about-face which touches piercingly on the matter of honesty and trustworthiness. How can anyone believe and trust the prime minister again when he has blatantly violated that trust by misleading the nation?

However, the prime minister’s ignoble behaviour should not give the Opposition and other would-be parties a feeling of self-righteousness since there is a chronic deficit in honesty and trustworthiness in Jamaica today.

Rupert Johnson

Canada

r.b.johnson@sympatico.ca