Former Jamaican PM Seaga to be honored for contribution to nation

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has signaled that the country will bestow a significant honor on his predecessor and mentor, Edward Seaga, for Seaga’s sterling contribution to the development and modification of a range of national institutions.

Holness was speaking on Thursday during a function to rename Petrojam Limited's Corporate Office Building as the Edward Seaga Building.

The unveiling of the name took place at the company's offices on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston.

Technology and Energy Dr. Andrew Wheatley had proposed that the honor be accorded to the former prime minister for his vision and foresight in purchasing the refinery from private ownership in 1982.

Will find appropriate national honor

"Mr Seaga, we will find an appropriate mark, the appropriate symbol of your contribution to Jamaica and make it in your honor," Holness told Seaga, after calling him the "father of the Jamaican nation, in every sense’"

According to Holness, apart from being the sole surviving member of the committee that framed Jamaica's Constitution, Seaga's fingerprints were evident on almost every institution that defined the country. He said the former prime minister “played a key role in conceptualizing, implementing and modifying various critical institutions locally.”

In his response, Seaga pointed out that Esso, the owners of the refinery in the early 1980s, had requested a price increase on petrol and the Government rejected the request after a careful review.

Gave instructions to purchase Esso refinery

He said the owners then asked the Government to purchase the refinery if they could not be granted a price increase. Seaga said he was advised by his then permanent secretary, Dr Carlton Davis, that the refinery could become an important asset to the Government. The former prime minister said he then gave instructions to purchase the refinery in 1982.