Rowley mourns Seaga’s passing

THE Prime Minister expressed his “deep sense of sadness” at the passing of former Jamaica prime minister, Edward Seaga, yesterday, whom he called, “an outstanding architect of the independent Jamaica.”

Dr Rowley said Seaga had given 43 years of sevice to his nation. “This Caribbean political stalwart who was instrumental in the drafting of the Jamaican Constitution, served as Jamaica’s fifth Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition on two occasions.” After politics he had then been a professor at the University of the West Indies, and Chancellor of Jamaica’s University of Technology.

“As Caribbean people while we are poorer for his passing we can take comfort in being richer for his unstinting dedication and service to all of us.” Two veteran politicians recalled having met Seaga.

Former prime minister Basdeo Panday said, “He was a formidable politician. He was in opposition for a very long time. He was charming and very articulate.

“I don’t think the Caribbean is producing leaders like him, Michael Manley or Bustamante any more. I met him at functions I attended as Opposition Leader.”

Asked about Seaga’s role in leading Jamaica in tough economic times, Panday said, “There’s very little any Caribbean country can do to improve its economy if it doesn’t have oil like TT. Jamaica had tourism.”

Overand Padmore, a minister in the Dr Eric Williams Cabinet, recalled once taking Seaga around TT to meet members of the business community.

Padmore, as then education minister, had also visited Seaga in Jamaica to try to resolve a wage dispute at the regional University of the West Indies (UWI.) “We met and resolved the impasse.”

Asked about his personal impressions of Seaga, Padmore said he was widely viewed as a “numbers man,” that is an economics expert, but not a charismatic leader like his socialist rival the late Michael Manley.

Padmore admitted to warming more to Manley than Seaga, both in terms of personality and political ideology. “While Manley was a man of great flair, Seaga was more management oriented, and more inclined to balance the books. “They were the two great protagonists of the period. Admitting that those close to Seaga might have known a warmer side to him, Padmore said, “I feel limited in being able to make a comment.”