The article 'King and Queen worth the wait' (February 18, page A2) tells of a triumphant welcome by a Parliament with the full complement of the leaders of the state and its associated agencies.

According to your report, "At seven minutes to four the trumpet sounded (literally) heralding the arrival of the royal couple". There was no report of what was said by the prime minister - there is the picture of the PM standing in a speaking mode in Parliament); or from the leader of the opposition (if she made any speech).

There was no report of any major or minor absentees from Parliament. The report informs that King Juan Carlos, speaking to a black majority Parliament, paid tribute to all Jamaicans "who gave their lives in the fight against slavery".

That was not good enough, after what Spain did in the slave trade and the destruction of the indigenous peoples in the Western Hemisphere, in Jamaica and other Caribbean lands including the annihilation of the Arawak and Carib peoples.

Major genocidal acts

The king is the successor of a long line of the Spanish royalty that has committed major genocidal acts that have had serious impact on our societies. He could have at least apologised for the past and complement that with concrete ideas regarding reparations for the sins of his "fathers", "mothers" and "loyal subjects".

If what was reported was all he had to say, he could have very well stayed in his royal palace. Political correctness again may have served the purpose of intellectual dishonesty. It will be interesting to see how this visit unfolds during Black History Month.

I am, etc.,

LOUIS E A MOYSTON

Kingston 8

thearchives01@yahoo.com