Parliament to honour Edward Seaga

Jerome Reynolds, Gleaner Writer

There will be a special sitting of the Houses of Parliament next week to honour former Prime Minister Edward Seaga.

Seaga is being recognised for his role in crafting the post-Independence Parliamentary landscape.

The joint sitting to pay tribute to Seaga forms part of events to celebrate Jamaica 50.

A similar ceremony was held on August 2 at which tribute was paid to all former prime ministers and Members of Parliament, but Seaga was noticeably absent from the event.

Officials at Parliament later explained that there was a mix up with Seaga’s invitation.

However, speaking with our news centre last night, Leader of Government Business in the House, Phillip Paulwell, said the tribute to Seaga had been planned way before.

Seaga represented the constituency of West Kingston from 1962 until he retired in 2005.

Seaga is the only surviving member of the team that drafted the Jamaican Constitution and is also one of three surviving members of the first Parliament of independent Jamaica.

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