Dear Editor,

Over the last year a number of letters have been appearing in your newspaper purporting to support Mr Raphael Trotman as the new Leader of the PNC/R. Naomi Hopkinson's letter captioned, "PNC needs an experienced leader" [ please note: link provided by LOSP web site ] caused me to conclude that the letters were orchestrated.

However, I decided to take a closer look at the gentleman just in case I was wrong. What did I find? A few days ago Mr Trotman appeared as the main person for a PNC press conference and his performance was far below the level required for a person who aspires or is being promoted to lead a major political party. His answers to questions were not sharp, smart or informed. This was no shining intellectual depth or political wit that would come over when one listened to Burnham or listens to Hoyte, Greenidge, Haslyn Parris, Corbin, Alexander or Bernard. His responses were bland, very bland. So much so that I asked myself what is the big deal?

So, if the young man does not have intellectual superiority over his competitors what does he have? Experience? No! I understand that he has only been in politics for a mere seven years and only active in the party since 1997. Education? No! All the other contenders in Corbin, Alexander, Bernard and Norton are just as or even more qualified. In fact Messrs. Alexander and Bernard are both respected as intellectuals. They have all, at sometime or another, shown intellectual depth in some complex public analysis.

Professional brilliance? No! There are a number of young lawyers in Nigel Hughes, Roysdale Forde, Basil Williams and James Bovell-Drakes who stand out. If you count the amount of times their names are mentioned in the media you must conclude that they are ahead professionally. Youth? Yes. He is young but what is youth alone without other attributes. If youth is the only consideration there are a number of other persons who will have to be considered in Norton, Basil Williams, James Mc Allister, Sherwood Lowe and Debra Backer. Norton, Williams and Mc Allister will also bring serious political experience with them and they are all educated.

Oration? No! The young man is not an orator of any note. Alexander, Norton, Bernard, Backer and Corbin are all ahead of him. And, if you are speaking of motivation Mc Allister is miles ahead. Oh! How that young man touched me during "97 and "98.

So, I have to wonder what are the special attributes of Mr Trotman that caused him to be even considered a contender for the PNC leadership.