THE EDITOR, Sir:

This week, I was elated with the nomination of Barack Obama to challenge for the presidency of the world's most powerful nation. Those of us who witnessed the horrors African Americans have suffered in that county can understand my feelings on the matter.

However, in the very week I was made proud by this great orator's bid for leadership in the United States, I suffered a big letdown when I witnessed Kenneth Hall travelling all the way to London to kneel before their Queen and be knighted.

We have not fixed all these years the constitutional arrangement where we recognise our former slavemaster's head of state as our head of state. How can we look our ancestors in the face and celebrate the bicentennial of the abolition of the slave trade while at the same time we continue to bow to the head of a state, which committed the crime of slavery?

With the Order of St Michael and St George, he was knighted. Who are these men and what role did they play in our enslavement or liberation? We, the people, reject these 'honours' in the name of Saints Marcus Garvey and Paul Bogle.

I am, etc.,

BERT SAMUELS

bert.samuels@gmail.com

Attorney-at-Law

Kingston