The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

EDUCATION Minister Jeff Lloyd has been one of the more productive ministers in the Minnis Cabinet. Education is a massive challenge to any government in this country.

Yet Lloyd has grabbed his portfolio by the horns and, by all appearances, has performed as good as can be expected under the circumstances.

Critics of the Free National Movement (FNM) government have made Lloyd the butt of their jokes in recent days.

Several photos of the education minister dozing off at official events have been widely circulated on Facebook and other social media outlets.

In one of the photos, Lloyd is seated next to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling at an event with his head slumped forward.

Judging from the photo, the minister appeared to have dozed off. For what it’s worth, critics of Lloyd are nitpicking, seeing that they have no allegations of maladministration involving the good minister.

As a Cabinet minister, he has kept his nose clean, as his critics are certainly aware. Lloyd dozing off is simply an indication that he may be exhausted.

He is juggling multiple responsibilities as MP for the South Beach constituency and as Cabinet minister.

This current incident reminds me of former Prime Minister Perry Christie, who himself was often photoed napping at public events. FNMs made fun of Christie.

Now the shoe is on the other foot, I guess. Tit-for-tat. I am not condoning the behaviour of Christie. But his FNM critics should’ve had some perspective regarding the former prime minister napping.

He was a 70-plus-year-old politician who was extremely busy, with very little opportunity for leisure.

The lack of rest would take a tremendous toll on any person, especially an elderly one.

Christie is only a fallible human being. The same can be argued for Lloyd.

Lloyd may want to avoid the pitfall of busy politicians and take some much needed time off to recuperate.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, GB

August 19, 2018.