(Jamaica Gleaner) Retired former Prime Minister P. J. Patterson last Tuesday praised Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley as the Caribbean’s fiercest advocate for social and economic justice, noting that no one since his predecessor, Michael Manley, has been as eloquent in speaking on behalf of the region.
Patterson, who succeeded Manley and served as Jamaica’s longest-serving prime minister from 1992 to 2005, described Manley as a towering political figure who not only shaped Jamaica’s political landscape, but was also a key proponent of regional integration. According to him, Mottley – who he said “continues to provide outstanding leadership for the entire Caribbean” – has taken up Manley’s mantle, becoming a leading voice for a new world economic order, one that recognises the old system as dysfunctional and outdated. Patterson also echoed the call for greater Caribbean unity, a sentiment recently expressed by Dr Ralph Gonsalves, the longest-serving prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, who warned that unity is now more essential than ever.
Addressing the gathering at the Michael Manley Centenary Lecture at The Little Theatre in Kingston, where he also introduced Mottley as the guest speaker, Patterson also touched on the ongoing economic difficulties facing Cuba, a nation that has long contributed to the region’s healthcare and education systems and provided technical assistance across multiple fields. He acknowledged that many who once opposed.
