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Political analysts question the role of the Political Ombudsman
Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair has been given a basket to carry water.
That is the view of some political observers, in response to pronouncements by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to seek Bishop Blair's intervention to ease rising tension on the campaign trail.
Dark clouds hang ominously over the political horizon as a storm threatens to disrupt the campaign trail.
Reports of political intimidation, physical attacks, arson and gun violence increase with each passing day.
Late last week, JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda wrote to Bishop Blair reportedly to sensitise him to the troubling signs.
Mr. Samuda wants a People’s National Party (PNP) team led by President Portia Simpson Miler and a JLP contingent led by Leader Bruce Golding to meet.
Copies of the letter were dispatched to the media.
This was followed by an announcement by Mr. Golding over the weekend that he too plans to write to the Political Ombudsman.
These requests have elicited a question - what good will that do?
For political analyst Shalman Scott- not much.
He is of the view that Mrs. Simpson Miller should stop ********************footing with the election date.
“All of this anxiety that is being generated because of this prolonged political campaign is to name the date for the next general elections and get it over with,” said Mr. Scott.
From veteran journalist John Maxwell's perspective, some politicians are bent on clutching the reins of power by any means.
He declared that the community should rise up in stern rejection of political violence.
“I must confess I am afraid of what is developing because of certain developments. There are people who have come onto the scene who scare me of course there are others at various levels of the political process who are hungry for power and I don’t think gentle persuasion is going to stop them from doing what they want to do,” said Mr. Maxwell.
But even as the nation tries to find an answer to this problem, the political functionaries continue to church out charges and counter charges.
And, political observer Helene Davis White is of the view that the Political Ombudsman is the way to go.
But Mrs. Davies White is calling for the formulation and imposition of sanctions against errant political personalities and their supporters.
“I think the real problem is that a lot of us see the political party signing codes of conduct and making all sorts of promises in respect to how they will conduct their campaigns but essentially it seems to me that when they get on the campaign trail, in the heat of the moment, they forget all of the promises that they have made. Probably we could develop sanctions against persons who breach the code of conduct that they have agreed to,” said Mrs. Davis Whyte.
Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair has been given a basket to carry water.
That is the view of some political observers, in response to pronouncements by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to seek Bishop Blair's intervention to ease rising tension on the campaign trail.
Dark clouds hang ominously over the political horizon as a storm threatens to disrupt the campaign trail.
Reports of political intimidation, physical attacks, arson and gun violence increase with each passing day.
Late last week, JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda wrote to Bishop Blair reportedly to sensitise him to the troubling signs.
Mr. Samuda wants a People’s National Party (PNP) team led by President Portia Simpson Miler and a JLP contingent led by Leader Bruce Golding to meet.
Copies of the letter were dispatched to the media.
This was followed by an announcement by Mr. Golding over the weekend that he too plans to write to the Political Ombudsman.
These requests have elicited a question - what good will that do?
For political analyst Shalman Scott- not much.
He is of the view that Mrs. Simpson Miller should stop ********************footing with the election date.
“All of this anxiety that is being generated because of this prolonged political campaign is to name the date for the next general elections and get it over with,” said Mr. Scott.
From veteran journalist John Maxwell's perspective, some politicians are bent on clutching the reins of power by any means.
He declared that the community should rise up in stern rejection of political violence.
“I must confess I am afraid of what is developing because of certain developments. There are people who have come onto the scene who scare me of course there are others at various levels of the political process who are hungry for power and I don’t think gentle persuasion is going to stop them from doing what they want to do,” said Mr. Maxwell.
But even as the nation tries to find an answer to this problem, the political functionaries continue to church out charges and counter charges.
And, political observer Helene Davis White is of the view that the Political Ombudsman is the way to go.
But Mrs. Davies White is calling for the formulation and imposition of sanctions against errant political personalities and their supporters.
“I think the real problem is that a lot of us see the political party signing codes of conduct and making all sorts of promises in respect to how they will conduct their campaigns but essentially it seems to me that when they get on the campaign trail, in the heat of the moment, they forget all of the promises that they have made. Probably we could develop sanctions against persons who breach the code of conduct that they have agreed to,” said Mrs. Davis Whyte.