November 7, 2002

Dear Sir,

Your Editorial (Royal Gazette/November 6) recalling the PLP debacle of the 1980s is no doubt relevant. However, there is some significant differences. The PLP leader at that time expelled four MP's thereby ensuring that at least the votes of the friends and immediate family members of those four MP's were thrown away.

The current PLP hierarchy, either because of a little more wisdom, or being less destructive to, and less hostile towards, the black community has not done so, despite the threats of their supporters and as great as their desire might be to do so. However, you still might not be correct when you suggest that uniting the party is the entire answer. A great many people outside of the PLP helped the PLP to victory. Some who had never voted, hoping for great change, voted. They are the most disillusioned. They feel that they have been snubbed by this Government and they are not impressed by the long list of social engagements that the Premier has engaged in as they seemed to only boost her image and did nothing to meet their needs or even recognise their existence. Then there are those who usually voted for the UBP and decided to take a chance on the PLP in view of the excitement and optimism that existed at that time.

So while they have not been so arrogant as to deliberately throw away the votes of specific families they have reduced the number of MPs, the peoples representatives by the same number. We do not know how the rejection of four of the current PLP MPs will influence those who voted for them. Nor do we know how many of those first time voters, or erstwhile UBP voters, will go to the polls and vote for the PLP despite their disillusionment with the "Smith administration" because they have seen so little change and their disillusionment with the backbenchers for doing nothing. Incidentally I am sure that George W. has no problem with is Government being "personalised" and called the "Bush Administration"! (I wonder what the difference is?) I suspect that if, at the next election, the PLP do as well as the Republicans have done there will be no objection to it being called a "Smith administration". But one thing is certain, they will need more than the diehard supporters and defenders of the Premier to pull that off, even though most voters are not concerned about the lack of integrity and 100 degree turn that has been demonstrated, not only by the Dame deciding to now take Queen's Honours but by the lack of attention that has been given to the working class.

EVA N. HODGSON

Hamilton Parish