Prime Minister Bruce Golding's retort to the trade unions' response to the wage freeze is worrisome. As leader of this country, does he realise that by using a dictatorial style of leadership he runs the risk of losing the moral leadership he seeks?

While I applaud him on leading by example by taking a pay cut, announcing the wage freeze in the middle of negotiations is a 'no no'. Trying to explain his position after the announcement sounded more like a threat and could result in alienating a large number of Jamaicans.

The prime minister could benefit from reading some transformational leadership material or attending leadership development seminars. What if he had invited the trade union groups to sit and dialogue with him prior to the announcement of the wage freeze? He could have achieved a completely different result. People tend to be reasonable when they are presented with the facts. Given the dire economic situation we are in, the trade unions may have come up with even more effective and creative solutions to the problem.

According to John Maxwell: "People don't care how much you know unless they know how much you care." No doubt, the Government workers affected by this ruling are not impressed by the shrewdness of the prime minister's decision to freeze wages. After all, he has shown absolutely no care or understanding for them.

I am, etc.,

JACQUELINE GEDDES

P.O. Box 5096

Kingston 6