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Gwaan Bruce!!! 
EDITORIAL - Mr Golding Gets It
Published: Wednesday | March 27, 2013
No one would ever doubt Bruce Golding's intellect. The questions were always about his judgement and a sense that he was irresolute - except for that period when he resisted America's attempt to extradite the Tivoli Gardens strongman, Christopher Coke, and over which his premiership crashed. Indeed, there are those who argue that Mr Golding's actions in the Coke affair exemplified his poor judgement when faced with an actual situation. His credibility was grievously impaired.
But whatever the conclusions about Mr Golding's character, he has something to offer to public discourse in Jamaica, as was evident when he surfaced last week from nearly two years of quasi-seclusion to do what he is good at - analysing and being prescriptive. We hope that Prime Minister Portia Simpson noticed.
Addressing a function of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Mr Golding highlighted the country's economic crisis and the tough adjustment to be made under the tutelage of the International Monetary Fund; although he seemed to feel that the Government is not going far enough.
"Both historical and contemporary experience show that timid half-measures not only do not fix the problem, but they make the fix more painful in the future," the former PM said. "Cyprus rejected the tough austerity measure that was being adopted in countries like Greece, only now to have to contemplate taxing bank accounts."
The cynics will no doubt remind Mr Golding of his own government's rose-tinted perspectives at the outset of the global economic crisis in 2008 and its vacillation when it finally conceded that Jamaica was caught in the storm.
These errors of judgement, however, do not diminish the validity of his current observations and the advice he offers to Mrs Simpson Miller.
Like this newspaper, Mr Golding argues that the Government has certainly not been robust in getting on with the adjustment policies, such as tax and public-sector reform, to which it has declared commitment. In some instances current action appears to be in conflict with policy declarations.
Squandered political capital
Further, after the People's National Party's big election victory 15 months ago, the administration squandered political capital by not getting on with the difficult things that are now politically harder to do. But, as they say, better late than never.
What Mr Golding now brings to the table, personal shortcomings notwithstanding, is the perspective of a man who has been at the helm, and an appreciation of the burdens, if not the art, of leadership. From that perspective, his advice to Mrs Simpson Miller is sound.
He said: "She has to hold the hand of the finance minister and shield him from the naysayers and faint-hearted, even within her Cabinet and her party. The Opposition will be breathing down her neck. Some of her own will say to her, 'We're damned if we do, ... it's better if we don't.' I say to her: don't listen to them."
Bruce Golding may not have been a good prime minister, but he knows what is required to be one. Mrs Simpson Miller still has an opportunity to be what Mr Golding wasn't. She should listen to him.
EDITORIAL - Mr Golding Gets It
Published: Wednesday | March 27, 2013
No one would ever doubt Bruce Golding's intellect. The questions were always about his judgement and a sense that he was irresolute - except for that period when he resisted America's attempt to extradite the Tivoli Gardens strongman, Christopher Coke, and over which his premiership crashed. Indeed, there are those who argue that Mr Golding's actions in the Coke affair exemplified his poor judgement when faced with an actual situation. His credibility was grievously impaired.
But whatever the conclusions about Mr Golding's character, he has something to offer to public discourse in Jamaica, as was evident when he surfaced last week from nearly two years of quasi-seclusion to do what he is good at - analysing and being prescriptive. We hope that Prime Minister Portia Simpson noticed.
Addressing a function of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Mr Golding highlighted the country's economic crisis and the tough adjustment to be made under the tutelage of the International Monetary Fund; although he seemed to feel that the Government is not going far enough.
"Both historical and contemporary experience show that timid half-measures not only do not fix the problem, but they make the fix more painful in the future," the former PM said. "Cyprus rejected the tough austerity measure that was being adopted in countries like Greece, only now to have to contemplate taxing bank accounts."
The cynics will no doubt remind Mr Golding of his own government's rose-tinted perspectives at the outset of the global economic crisis in 2008 and its vacillation when it finally conceded that Jamaica was caught in the storm.
These errors of judgement, however, do not diminish the validity of his current observations and the advice he offers to Mrs Simpson Miller.
Like this newspaper, Mr Golding argues that the Government has certainly not been robust in getting on with the adjustment policies, such as tax and public-sector reform, to which it has declared commitment. In some instances current action appears to be in conflict with policy declarations.
Squandered political capital
Further, after the People's National Party's big election victory 15 months ago, the administration squandered political capital by not getting on with the difficult things that are now politically harder to do. But, as they say, better late than never.
What Mr Golding now brings to the table, personal shortcomings notwithstanding, is the perspective of a man who has been at the helm, and an appreciation of the burdens, if not the art, of leadership. From that perspective, his advice to Mrs Simpson Miller is sound.
He said: "She has to hold the hand of the finance minister and shield him from the naysayers and faint-hearted, even within her Cabinet and her party. The Opposition will be breathing down her neck. Some of her own will say to her, 'We're damned if we do, ... it's better if we don't.' I say to her: don't listen to them."
Bruce Golding may not have been a good prime minister, but he knows what is required to be one. Mrs Simpson Miller still has an opportunity to be what Mr Golding wasn't. She should listen to him.
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