The Editor, Sir:

On behalf of the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox (Tewahido) Church in the Caribbean and the Latin America, His Grace Abba Thaddaeus, and the Clergy and Faithful of the Branch Church in Jamaica, kindly accept both our congratulations and prayers with regard to your appointment to the office of Prime Minister.

Honourable Prime Minister, you incorrectly mentioned September 11 as being celebrated as the Ethiopian New Year. Please be advised, however, that the actual date of the New Year and the beginning of the Ethiopian Millennium is September 12.

The Ethiopian Year consists of 12 months each of 30 days and one short month at the end called PAGUME - resulting in Ethiopia being referred to in many circles as the 13-month Nation. This short month is made up of five days for the years of Saints Matthew, Mark and John, and six days for the year of Saint Luke, which always precedes our leap year in Jamaica.

Precise appointment

Thus, the year of Saint Luke that ended on September 11 (i.e., the date of your swearing-in) preceded 2008 the Jamaican leap year. So the precise date of your appointment according to the Ethiopian Calendar is PAGUME 6, 1999 - The Year of Saint Luke, which is one day before Meskeram 1, 2000 - The Year Of Saint John.

Interestingly, while listening to this part of your presentation as one of your invited guests, I was moved to reflect on the fact that at the time of your appointment as Prime Minister (approximately 4:20 p.m.), the New Year (i.e., Meskeram 1 or September 12 according to the Jamaican Calendar) would have begun in Ethiopia because of the time difference between Ethiopia and Jamaica. Hence, the hour of your appointment coincided with the New Year in Ethiopia, but not in Jamaica.

I am, etc.,

REV. FR. WOLDE DAWIT

Administrator

Priest-in-Charge