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Portia and the new Jamaica
Lloyd B. Smith
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
NOW that the People's National Party has been soundly defeated in both the September 3 general election and the December 5 local government election, this brings into sharp focus the political future of its President and Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller. And the recent Bill Johnson polls which showed her popularity plunging by some nine points provided further fodder for her detractors who feel that it is time she contemplates riding off into the sunset.
The potent question, therefore, is: "What shall we do with Sister P?" One of the negatives about Jamaican politics is the oftentimes callous and unconscionable way in which we deal with those who have served who are no longer in the winner's circle. In the United States, for example, we see where past presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and vice-president Al Gore have continued to shine and are making tremendous contributions in various spheres of public life, both nationally and internationally.
Luckily for Edward Seaga, he has been made a Distinguished Fellow at the University of the West Indies, but in general terms whenever persons have served at the highest level and are no longer in the purview of power they are treated with scant regard, notwithstanding the fact that they still possess a great deal of experience and expertise. In this vein, may I strongly suggest that it is full time that some kind of national policy framework be developed with respect to our elder statesmen and women.
But back to Sister P and her immediate future. There are three scenarios being looked at with respect to her remaining in active politics. Firstly, there are those who feel that it will only be a matter of time before the Golding administration becomes extremely unpopular. At that time, she will re-emerge as the people's champion and romp back to Jamaica House in fine style. Secondly, there are those who maintain that she cannot handle the affairs of state effectively so she should give way to Dr Peter Phillips from now and give the PNP enough time to market him and a re-energised and "re-intellectualised" party. Thirdly, she is "Phinnished" and should quit elective politics. Find some new frontier to conquer.
These days, a once vibrant, upbeat Sister P looks very withdrawn, drawn and subdued. As for being opposition leader, she does not appear to be up to it and has left the parliamentary verbal gymnastics, for the most part, to the very astute and sanguine Dr Peter Phillips and a feisty, 'confident of his facts' Dr Omar Davies. Could it be that is why one of her ardent supporters, Paul Burke, has been posturing for the position of party president to be separated from leader of the opposition? This would be one way to salvage Sister P, who will obviously have difficulties sparring with Prime Minister Bruce Golding across the floor at Gordon House.
For the long term, though, I think the PNP should push for Jamaica to obtain republican status with a ceremonial president and executive prime minister. The president would be elected directly by the people and I see Portia Lucretia Simpson Miller as the ideal first candidate for that post. If given the opportunity, she has the ability to unite this divided nation and as one who represents in a real way the hopes and aspirations of the poor and oppressed of this country, she could play a pivotal role in staving off what could well become an all-out class war in the years to come.
In the meantime, the PNP remains optimistic that it can reclaim Jamaica House by way of the high court and if that fails, given the current trends in crime, joblessness, hopelessness and the seeming "tyranny of the minority", more soon than later the cookies will crumble and Golding will have to call an early election. Lest we forget, Seaga called a snap election in 1983 and won because of the Grenadian revolution during the height of the Cold War (East versus West).
But will Bruce Almighty be able to find such an opportune moment? Trafigura perhaps? Or the bulb scandal? Is this why the JLP is so hell-bent on focusing on the past misdeeds of the PNP government in a bid to create a moment in time when the people will be even more inclined to give them a wider margin of victory? And having so savagely wounded Sister P by way of those punishing advertisements, is it that a Bruce Golding will remain more palatable to the Jamaican electorate than a Dr Peter Phillips?
In the final analysis, the future fortunes of Sister P are inextricably bound with those of the nation at large. Those who have already written her off might well be slamming the door on the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans who still see her as their ultimate saviour. Against this background, both the opposition PNP and the ruling JLP should not hurriedly point her to the departure lounge.
Maybe she is just that stranger on the shore waiting on her ship to come in. or she may have to swim out to it?
The bottom line is that Portia Simpson Miller, no matter what her enemies say, is a national treasure that does not yet belong in a museum.
lloydbsmith@hotmail.com
Lloyd B. Smith
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
NOW that the People's National Party has been soundly defeated in both the September 3 general election and the December 5 local government election, this brings into sharp focus the political future of its President and Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller. And the recent Bill Johnson polls which showed her popularity plunging by some nine points provided further fodder for her detractors who feel that it is time she contemplates riding off into the sunset.
The potent question, therefore, is: "What shall we do with Sister P?" One of the negatives about Jamaican politics is the oftentimes callous and unconscionable way in which we deal with those who have served who are no longer in the winner's circle. In the United States, for example, we see where past presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and vice-president Al Gore have continued to shine and are making tremendous contributions in various spheres of public life, both nationally and internationally.
Luckily for Edward Seaga, he has been made a Distinguished Fellow at the University of the West Indies, but in general terms whenever persons have served at the highest level and are no longer in the purview of power they are treated with scant regard, notwithstanding the fact that they still possess a great deal of experience and expertise. In this vein, may I strongly suggest that it is full time that some kind of national policy framework be developed with respect to our elder statesmen and women.
But back to Sister P and her immediate future. There are three scenarios being looked at with respect to her remaining in active politics. Firstly, there are those who feel that it will only be a matter of time before the Golding administration becomes extremely unpopular. At that time, she will re-emerge as the people's champion and romp back to Jamaica House in fine style. Secondly, there are those who maintain that she cannot handle the affairs of state effectively so she should give way to Dr Peter Phillips from now and give the PNP enough time to market him and a re-energised and "re-intellectualised" party. Thirdly, she is "Phinnished" and should quit elective politics. Find some new frontier to conquer.
These days, a once vibrant, upbeat Sister P looks very withdrawn, drawn and subdued. As for being opposition leader, she does not appear to be up to it and has left the parliamentary verbal gymnastics, for the most part, to the very astute and sanguine Dr Peter Phillips and a feisty, 'confident of his facts' Dr Omar Davies. Could it be that is why one of her ardent supporters, Paul Burke, has been posturing for the position of party president to be separated from leader of the opposition? This would be one way to salvage Sister P, who will obviously have difficulties sparring with Prime Minister Bruce Golding across the floor at Gordon House.
For the long term, though, I think the PNP should push for Jamaica to obtain republican status with a ceremonial president and executive prime minister. The president would be elected directly by the people and I see Portia Lucretia Simpson Miller as the ideal first candidate for that post. If given the opportunity, she has the ability to unite this divided nation and as one who represents in a real way the hopes and aspirations of the poor and oppressed of this country, she could play a pivotal role in staving off what could well become an all-out class war in the years to come.
In the meantime, the PNP remains optimistic that it can reclaim Jamaica House by way of the high court and if that fails, given the current trends in crime, joblessness, hopelessness and the seeming "tyranny of the minority", more soon than later the cookies will crumble and Golding will have to call an early election. Lest we forget, Seaga called a snap election in 1983 and won because of the Grenadian revolution during the height of the Cold War (East versus West).
But will Bruce Almighty be able to find such an opportune moment? Trafigura perhaps? Or the bulb scandal? Is this why the JLP is so hell-bent on focusing on the past misdeeds of the PNP government in a bid to create a moment in time when the people will be even more inclined to give them a wider margin of victory? And having so savagely wounded Sister P by way of those punishing advertisements, is it that a Bruce Golding will remain more palatable to the Jamaican electorate than a Dr Peter Phillips?
In the final analysis, the future fortunes of Sister P are inextricably bound with those of the nation at large. Those who have already written her off might well be slamming the door on the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans who still see her as their ultimate saviour. Against this background, both the opposition PNP and the ruling JLP should not hurriedly point her to the departure lounge.
Maybe she is just that stranger on the shore waiting on her ship to come in. or she may have to swim out to it?
The bottom line is that Portia Simpson Miller, no matter what her enemies say, is a national treasure that does not yet belong in a museum.
lloydbsmith@hotmail.com
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