Mr Nelson is an affable, articulate and highly skilled trade union leader who has contributed much, and has, we believe, plenty more to offer to the growth and development of Jamaica. He now occupies the national security portfolio in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Bruce Golding.
We were very worried, therefore, when earlier this month Mr Nelson was briefly hospitalised in Jamaica with a seemingly serious stomach ailment and was rushed off to a hospital in the United States for what was expected to be a major operation. The minister's problem, apparently, was not unrelated to a pre-existing heart condition.
The planned surgery did not take place, in part, according to Information Minister Daryl Vaz, because Mr Nelson's American doctors want first to treat him medicinally. The implication is that while Mr Nelson's prognosis is good, the condition for which he is being treated is not as simple as a common cold, as some of the comments would suggest.
In fact, Minister Nelson is to return to the United States in six weeks' time for further checks, to determine whether the treatment regime is working. We hope it is, and that there is no need for surgery.
toughest ministry
But whatever the outcome, we remain concerned for Mr Nelson. He occupies a ministry that is perhaps the toughest in the Government. Only, perhaps, the finance ministry, given Jamaica's parlous economic state, comes close.
Indeed, there have, so far this year, been over 1,200 murders in Jamaica. A policeman was shot dead last Thursday, bringing to nine the number of law officers killed in 2009.
On the current trajectory, Jamaica will come close to repeating the approximately 1,600 homicides that has been the annual average in recent years. The country's murder rate of over 60 per 1,000 population is among the world's highest. There is, therefore, a sense of insecurity in Jamaica that has been exacerbated by the growth of other crimes, like last month's 36 per cent increase in break-ins.
Even in the best of times, Mr Nelson's job is difficult and stressful and potentially deleterious to the holder's health. These are not particularly good times. And Mr Nelson, unfortunately, is not in tip-top health. At the same time, though, Mr Nelson's portfolio demands consistent and gruelling attention.
In those circumstances, we feel it unfair to Minister Nelson and Jamaica, broadly speaking, if he is retained in that post. The stress of the job could be detrimental to his health and that would be most unfortunate. So, too, if, because of his condition, Mr Nelson couldn't give his fullest attention to the job.
We, therefore, repeat our suggestion that Delroy Chuck, whose talents are being under-utilised as speaker of the House, be assigned to the security portfolio. Mr Chuck, a lawyer and academic, has, we believe, the temperament and skills for the job.
We are sure, too, that Mr Chuck, like anyone who pretends to the job, would be willing to be polygraphed as one test of suitability for the post.
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