THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE LETTER by reader Lorna Gooden in today's Gleaner (September 22), which you have elevated to Letter of the Day, and reads in part, "and the one who left for the wilderness, returning as the prodigal son is now Jamaica's eighth Prime Minister", suggests that the writer is not sufficiently familiar with the parable of the prodigal son in the Bible.

The Bible story says that the younger son asked for and took his share of his inheritance from his father and squandered it in reckless and extravagant living. When he became broke, he returned penniless and penitent to his father.

Mr. Golding left the Jamaica Labour Party on a principled stand and returned when the circumstances and conditions were consistent with his principles. That is hardly analogous to prodigality and, in my view, the comparison casts a slur on the new Prime Minister.

I am, etc.,

LLOYD G. TAPPER

llogeta@yahoo.com

Jamaica, New York

Via Go-Jamaica