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PNP: Reform or drift into political wilderness
KEN CHAPLIN
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Reform is the most urgent and compelling task facing the People's National Party if it is not to drift into the political wilderness. The party seems to be deliberately dragging its feet in implementing the Meeks Appraisal Committee Report when implementation should be done with all deliberate haste. It is an objective report, emphasising some serious weaknesses of the party and proposing remedies.
KEN CHAPLIN
The most serious obstacle confronting the party as far as governance is concerned is the impression, widely held, that the party has not been able to run government with complete honesty for which it once had a high, proud reputation, especially during the period when Norman Washington Manley was leader and even in the days of Michael Manley as prime minister. Manley detested corruption. Once during my two years as press secretary with him, he became livid when he learned that a trade unionist had gone to a prominent businessman and told him "the boss (Michael) send me for the thing".
Scandals like Operation PRIDE, Trafigura and the Cuban light bulb issue have rocked the party and the confidence of the public, including members and supporters of the party. As Paul Burke who served the party with distinction was reported to have said last week, the PNP governed in corruption. The party must now tell the country that it is true that its government has had black holes between 1993 and 2007 which should not have occurred, and ensure the people that such corruption will not happen again and move on. The party must also rid itselt of lumpen supporters and cronies, many of whom have not been seen since the party lost power in 2007, but who will no doubt return to reap the spoils again if the parry ever returns to power.
The PNP began to fall apart when its president PJ Patterson failed to recommend a successor before he left office. This led to a bitter struggle for the leadership between the Portia Simpson Miller faction and the Peter Phillips faction, which has damaged the unity of the party. I am not going to take sides. It is clear to me that until the party settles the issue of leadership definitively and moves forward in unity, it may never win another general or local government election. The writing is on the wall. The large increases in the margin of victories by the JLP over the PNP in two recent by-elections for the House of Representatives was the result of disunity. It is known that a lot of Phillips' supporters remained at home. The country always needs a viable and vibrant Opposition to make parliamentary democracy meaningful.
Unity in the party will strenghten its position to raise funds. The party is badly in need of money, but who is going to contribute to it in its present state of instability in leadership? When the party returns to normality and moves forward with a singleness of purpose, it could then launch a fund to which members and supporters may contribute, as happened many years ago.
Political hypocrisy
One should not be surprised by the PNP's accusation that the JLP used state funds to fight the Northeast St Catherine by-election. It brings to the forefront the hypocrisy of political parties in Jamaica for many years. In my 35 years as a public servant, I cannot remember one election or by-election in which the ruling party did not pour funds for infrastructual work during the months leading to the election.
However, it is entirely wrong for public garbage trucks to carry the name of any candidate, as happened in the by-election campaign in the constituency recently. This is an abuse of taxpayers' property which should not be tolerated.
Truth causes offence
Jamaica is a country where speaking the truth sometimes causes offence. This was emphatically so in the case of Resident Magistrate Marlene Malahoo-Forte who recently criticised some lawyers. It is well known that some lawyers delay the justice system by booking two or more cases for the same day. This is not anything new and it has contributed to the backlog in the system, and justice delayed is justice denied. It is also true that some lawyers behave like "hustlers".
Many lawyers were angry at the remarks and are tendentiously trying to block the application of Malahoo-Forte for appointment to the High Court. The Judicial Services Commission, presided over by Chief Justice Zaila McCalla, should ignore the complaint by the lawyers in considering applications for the position. The lawyers' time would be better spent in determining how the system can be improved.
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";
KEN CHAPLIN
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Reform is the most urgent and compelling task facing the People's National Party if it is not to drift into the political wilderness. The party seems to be deliberately dragging its feet in implementing the Meeks Appraisal Committee Report when implementation should be done with all deliberate haste. It is an objective report, emphasising some serious weaknesses of the party and proposing remedies.
KEN CHAPLINThe most serious obstacle confronting the party as far as governance is concerned is the impression, widely held, that the party has not been able to run government with complete honesty for which it once had a high, proud reputation, especially during the period when Norman Washington Manley was leader and even in the days of Michael Manley as prime minister. Manley detested corruption. Once during my two years as press secretary with him, he became livid when he learned that a trade unionist had gone to a prominent businessman and told him "the boss (Michael) send me for the thing".
Scandals like Operation PRIDE, Trafigura and the Cuban light bulb issue have rocked the party and the confidence of the public, including members and supporters of the party. As Paul Burke who served the party with distinction was reported to have said last week, the PNP governed in corruption. The party must now tell the country that it is true that its government has had black holes between 1993 and 2007 which should not have occurred, and ensure the people that such corruption will not happen again and move on. The party must also rid itselt of lumpen supporters and cronies, many of whom have not been seen since the party lost power in 2007, but who will no doubt return to reap the spoils again if the parry ever returns to power.
The PNP began to fall apart when its president PJ Patterson failed to recommend a successor before he left office. This led to a bitter struggle for the leadership between the Portia Simpson Miller faction and the Peter Phillips faction, which has damaged the unity of the party. I am not going to take sides. It is clear to me that until the party settles the issue of leadership definitively and moves forward in unity, it may never win another general or local government election. The writing is on the wall. The large increases in the margin of victories by the JLP over the PNP in two recent by-elections for the House of Representatives was the result of disunity. It is known that a lot of Phillips' supporters remained at home. The country always needs a viable and vibrant Opposition to make parliamentary democracy meaningful.
Unity in the party will strenghten its position to raise funds. The party is badly in need of money, but who is going to contribute to it in its present state of instability in leadership? When the party returns to normality and moves forward with a singleness of purpose, it could then launch a fund to which members and supporters may contribute, as happened many years ago.
Political hypocrisy
One should not be surprised by the PNP's accusation that the JLP used state funds to fight the Northeast St Catherine by-election. It brings to the forefront the hypocrisy of political parties in Jamaica for many years. In my 35 years as a public servant, I cannot remember one election or by-election in which the ruling party did not pour funds for infrastructual work during the months leading to the election.
However, it is entirely wrong for public garbage trucks to carry the name of any candidate, as happened in the by-election campaign in the constituency recently. This is an abuse of taxpayers' property which should not be tolerated.
Truth causes offence
Jamaica is a country where speaking the truth sometimes causes offence. This was emphatically so in the case of Resident Magistrate Marlene Malahoo-Forte who recently criticised some lawyers. It is well known that some lawyers delay the justice system by booking two or more cases for the same day. This is not anything new and it has contributed to the backlog in the system, and justice delayed is justice denied. It is also true that some lawyers behave like "hustlers".
Many lawyers were angry at the remarks and are tendentiously trying to block the application of Malahoo-Forte for appointment to the High Court. The Judicial Services Commission, presided over by Chief Justice Zaila McCalla, should ignore the complaint by the lawyers in considering applications for the position. The lawyers' time would be better spent in determining how the system can be improved.
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";