Larry Achong still Minister

THE EDITOR: At time of writing, Larry Achong is still the Minister of Labour, but not for the reasons stated by the Prime Minister. The Constitution (Ch.12, Section 142) provides that “ any person who is appointed... may resign from that office by writing... to the person who appointed... and shall take effect when the resignation is received by the person to whom it is addressed.” The President, and not the PM, appointed Larry. Larry is therefore just “out of office”, having “withdrawn his enthusiasm.” I commend Larry however for the position he has taken, demonstrating that he possesses the two vital characteristics of manhood. This is not to say that I agree or disagree with him on the sectoral wages matter, but it pained me to see the cavalier manner in which the PM treats his ministers, as if he provides the oxygen they breathe. 

Manning sets up some cabinet committee which excludes his Labour Minister, the committee pronounces on the sectoral wages issue, and Achong hears it on the radio like everyone else.  This is reminiscent of his negotiations with Repsol in Spain, in which he excluded Energy Minister Eric Williams claiming that Williams was “travel-weary”. Many people argue that the Constitution gives the PM too much power. I however do not agree with this since the PM is in office by virtue of the support of the 20 elected MPs who can select or remove the PM. Any three MPs acting in concert can initiate a change. If other MPs had backbone like Larry, Manning will know that he cannot ride roughshod over his party colleagues. Cabinet decisions will reflect the will of its elected MPs, and not just of his sycophantic oligarchy of Saith, Joan Yuille-Williams and Julien. 

I urge Manning to use this impasse to reflect on his Red House obsession and to leave our 100-year heritage intact. Apart from his recent sudden attack of laryngitis, which betrayed the frailty of the human body, the nation’s problems are clamouring for urgent attention. The sugar harvest is threatened, Haiti is in turmoil, ALNG’s train 4 is in suspense, chicken and flour costs are rising, relations with Barbados are simmering, crime is on the rampage, education is tottering, crime in our schools is frightening, squatters are protesting, and Larry could now be leaving. Please Patrick, put country before self. In addition, I plead with Suzanne Mills, to keep up her column “No Red House for Manning” until Saith announces that the Red House will be refurbished for the exclusive use of Parliament.

MICHAEL J WILLIAMS
St Joseph