Healthy contretemps

The Editor, Sir:

The apparent disquiet found in the independence of thought that exists between the Office of the Contractor General, the director of public prosecutions and the member of parliament with his team was signalled on Thursday, September 30 when both editorials in the country's major newspapers expressed similar concerns that this was not a good thing. I'm not sure I concede.

First, I am not aware of any admission on the part, Mr Christie that he had behaved inappro-priately, or that had he consulted with Ms Llewellyn he would have taken a different approach.

What seems apparent to me is that Mr Christie asked questions of the agriculture ministry and found the response suspect. It seems to me that the opportunity to clear oneself, or not to implicate oneself, came with being asked.

gross incompetence

Not to have known the truth of Aubyn Hill's engagement with the ministry may not show corruption so much as it may imply gross incompetence. It is an insult to Mr Hill as well because, apparently, his engagement with the ministry was treated with no greater importance than that of a temporary filing clerk. The permanent secretary doesn't have to know, and clearly, the minister would be insulted with this bit of detail. Not likely. So, of course, there is a big question mark here, and Mr Christie saw it.

I don't know that I blame Christie for drawing attention to this question - as far as I know, that's his job.

On a tangential note, Mr Tufton is an obviously hard-working minister who gets positive results. Perhaps aided by the timing of this incident, and the fact that there are still far weightier matters yet to be resolved with his party, I don't see him being seriously hurt from this. But it is good to know that he is interested in getting the matter settled.

As for this petty quarrel between the named parties, however, rather than being worried, albeit that quarrels carry a certain taint, I am excited that there is no indication of collusion. I find it healthy.

I am, etc.,

CHARLES EVANS

charles.evans@ncu.edu.jm