Honourable Chief Leabua Jonathan was the first prime minister of independent Lesotho but by the time he visited Jamaica, he was not a popular man. Four years earlier, Jonathan, seeming to have lost a general election to the Basotholand Congress Party, declared a State of Emergency, eventually reclaiming governance of the South Africa-surrounded state. However, Jonathan’s support of the African National Congress (ANC) had much to do with his internal problems, but endeared countries like Jamaica to his struggle.

Published May 27, 1974

Lesotho PM here on five-day visit

BIG WELCOME AT AIRPORT

THE PRIME MINISTER of the seven-year-old African Independent nation of Lesotho, the Hon. Chief Leabua Jonathan, arrived yesterday at Norman Manley International Airport from Barbados for a five-day state visit.

Prime Minister, Michael Manley, headed the party of representatives from the Church, Judiciary, Diplomatic Corps and Government who were at planeside to welcome the visiting Africans.

As Chief Jonathan and an accompanying party of five disembarked from a BWIA jetliner, canons of the Jamaica Defence Force pounded out a 19-gun salute and the band of the First Battalion Jamaica Regiment, played the Lesotho national anthem in welcome.

GUARD OF HONOUR

The 60-year-old Chief, dressed in a brown kareeba suit, was greeted onboard the aircraft by Chief of Protocol, Mr Louis Boothe. As he stepped out into the warm mid-day sun and descended the aircraft steps he was met by Mr Manley, whom he greeted with outstretched arms. Mr Manley introduced him to the Chief-of-Staff, Jamaica Defence Force. Brigadier Rudolph Green and the Commissioner of Police, Mr Basil Robinson.

Chief Jonathan was afterwards escorted by Brigadier Green to inspect a guard of honour drawn from the Jamaica Defence Force.

After the inspection, Mr Manley introduced him to members of the official welcoming party who had lined up nearby at a special area of the ramp. 

The official airport welcome, which took 15 minutes, then ended with Chief Jonathan and his party, accompanied by Mr Manley and other official representatives, leaving in a motorcade to the Skyline Hotel in New Kingston where the visitors will be staying. Some 200 persons on the waving gallery watched the brief but colourful welcome ceremony.

They waved to Chief Jonathan and Mr Manley both of whom paused before leaving to respond to their greetings.

The 12-car motorcade to the hotel which was escorted by police outriders went via the roundabout, Palisadoes Road, Harbour View roundabout, Windward Road, Mountain View Avenue, Seaview Avenue, Lady Musgrave Road. Trafalgar Road, Knutsford Boulevard.

At the hotel, Mr Manley took leave of Chief Jonathan.

Party

The Lesotho leader was accompanied by the Hon. S. Matete, Minister of Works: Mr T. M. Mashologu, Senior Permanent Secretary: Mr P. Khamane of the Prime Minister's Office: Mr C. M. Molapa, Senior Private Secretary and Mr A. Molise, Personal Aide.

The official airport welcoming party also included Councillor Ralph Brown, Mayor of the Corporate Area; the Rev. R. I. Nelson. Chairman of the Jamaica Christian Council; the Hon. Keble Munn, Minister of Agriculture: the Hon. Ernest Peart, Minister of Labour and Employment; the Hon. Ripton MacPherson. Speaker of the House of Representatives: the Hon. Kenneth Smith, O.J., Chief Justice: Senator Maurice Tenn. Parliamentary Secretary. Ministry of Finance, Mrs Winifred Gaskin. High Commissioner for Guyana (who is recuperating from a foot injury and was using a crutch).

Mr Jose Bazan, Ambassador for Mexico: Mr Carlos Nouel, Ambassador for the Dominican Republic: Mr Roberto Cusana. Ambassador for Argentine: Dr Ramon Illarramendi, Ambassador for Venezuela; Mr Ernesto Estenoz, Ambassador for Panama; Mr Li Chao, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China: Mr Ramon Pez Ferro, Ambassador for Cuba; Mr Victor Gares, Ambassador for France; Mr Fernando Oliva, Ambassador for Peru: Dr Francisco Fandino-Silva, Minister Plenipotentiary of Columbia: Mr Patrick Aduma, Acting High Commissioner for Nigeria.

Mr Cecil Alleyne, Acting High Commissioner for Trinidad and Tobago; Mr Theodor Bister Charge d'Affaires, Federal Republic of Germany: Mrs Beryl Chitty, Acting British High Commissioner: Mr B. van Den Broek, Charge d'Affaires, Netherlands; Mr Charles P. Campbell, representing the American Embassy, Mr Gordon Wells, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, and Messrs. Harry Shaw and Clive Lazarus, Assistant Airport Managers.

Last night Chief Jonathan was dinner guest of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. David Coore, at Vale Royal. 

Today he will call on the Governor-General, the Most Hon. Florizel Glasspole at King's House, and afterwards on the Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Brown. He will visit National Heroes' Park where he will lay a wreath. 

Chief Jonathan will also visit, the Bodles Agricultural station and in the afternoon he will receive Leader of the Opposition the Rt. Hon. Hugh Shearer, at the Skyline hotel. 

Dinner

Tomorrow and Wednesday Jonathan will also be engaged in a round of official activities.

On Thursday, the final day of the visit, he will have discussions v House and afterwards hold a press conference before leaving the afternoon from Norman Manley Airport for Toronto, T Canada.

Chief Jonathan Prime Minister of has been Lesotho since Independence in 1966. In 1970, during general elections, he declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution before full results were in.

In a news conference in Barbados prior to leaving for Jamaica, Chief Jonathan said that his country was being run democratically and that elections would be held not later than a year from now.

He said he was forced to declare his country's 1970 elections null and void in the interest of the government and the people.

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