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Do they know the real Ja?
Jean Lowrie-Chin
Monday, August 06, 2007
Where is the dignity that comes with this 45-year Independence? Certainly not in the political motorcades or mass meetings. The protracted election campaign has brought out the worst in us. Yes, we grant that there will be some theatre in the campaigning, a little dancing, definitely humour, but certainly not this crass behaviour! One cartoonist depicted two politicians brawling while a market woman looked on in disgust.
Our leaders could be underestimating ordinary Jamaicans, if they believe that appealing to the lowest common denominator will help them to bag the elections. It is not that they don't know better - both the prime pinister and the leader of the opposition are elegant and dignified at official events. It is a real joy to see them stepping out with their spouses, an important message to our young people that real strength comes from family ties, respect for partner and responsibility for children.
This is why the Golding campaign, featuring family members, is having such resonance, a relief from the old "kass-kass" style politics. One of the greatest votes of confidence I have ever heard for the PM came from her own articulate husband in a television interview after she was elected PNP president.
The PNP is missing out by not editing that interview and using it to support their campaign, which now needs a fresh fillip.
When on Sunday, July 8 Prime Minister Simpson Miller announced that elections would be held in seven weeks, there was speculation that this long haul would exhaust the JLP's campaign funds and widen the PNP lead which was fairly significant then. Bruce Golding's rather worried response at the JLP post-announcement press briefing filled PNP supporters with glee.
However, Don Anderson's latest poll has shown the PNP in a relatively static position, while the JLP has been gaining ground. A youngster in my office demonstrated the ring tone on his cellphone: "Jamaica needs a change now!" it sang, followed by, "Not changing course!" He told me that someone blue-toothed the ring tone to his phone after he heard it while waiting in line at the bank. "Everybody was asking for it," he said.
We have to wonder, has the PNP become so sure of its old winning formulae that it is totally disregarding the fact that there are 1.8 million cellphones in use in Jamaica? That's more than the 1.3 million on the voters' list! Entrepreneurs know that you ignore trends at your own peril.
The most popular local television show is "Rising Stars", and most of the songs presented are either R&B or light reggae, rarely dancehall. Are our rising political stars out of sync with the music? With cheaper digital technology, we are getting a better variety of local programming. Michael Sharpe has the country talking on "Your Issues Live" and Garfield Burford has aced "Direct". Of course, we continue to follow two of my favourites, Dionne Jackson-Miller and Cliff Hughes.
This very government that has given us a smorgasbord of new media by granting broadcast licences, that has liberalised the telecoms market by inviting in new players, seems to be unaware of the new trends that they have helped to create! While the PNP is stuck in the old ways of politicking, the JLP is using the very devices facilitated by its opponent, to give them a good run.
Business pages and programmes are now plentiful and the ordinary Jamaican is hearing substantial discussion on our economy, business developments and opportunities. The cellphone has made plumbers and manicurists into self-sufficient small businesses. Even as this government has helped Jamaica to grow up, it is still treating the electorate as backward juveniles.
We are seeing several JLP ads on YouTube but few, if any, PNP ads. We see newscasts that contrast a fun-loving flippant incumbent with a serious, dignified challenger. Here are two of the many anti-PNP comments posted on YouTube:
"Come Portia... u need to be discussing issues and stop the name calling. Tell the masses how you're going to address the problems that plague JA. 18 years of misleading, increased crimes, poor education, poor health care, poor parochial roads, dying agricultural sector, lacklustre economy... C'mon PNP get with the programme."
- "Wow! Why is Portia not talking about the issues? This is driving people away from the PNP. Plus she went to Portmore and NEVER talked about the TOLL ROAD..."
My assessment of these responses is that Portia could be losing the youth vote. These young people live on YouTube and are constantly on their cellphones. Bruce Golding has young adults, his own son and daughter, speaking convincingly about their "Pops."
The presentation of a well-thought-out JLP manifesto last Monday has received accolades. Coming soon after the CNN-YouTube Democratic debate, Bruce projected an urbane, Saville Row persona, not unlike that other "brown-man", Barack Obama. We are definitely influenced, surfing between local and foreign channels. I believe that as Portia got a push last year from Oprah, Bruce is now getting a boost from Barack.
And so, we wait with bated breath for the national debates later this week. The bets are on as to whether the PM will actually show up. If I were her communications adviser, what would I tell her? Well, first, she should subject herself to some serious coaching, but show up she must. The nation has a new appetite for discussion, and hope that Bruce and Portia, the "iron chefs" of politics, will be offering them some substantial food for thought.
Farewell, Peter Myers
Retired senior partner of Livingston Alexander & Levy, H Peter Myers transited last Monday after a long illness. He has made a lasting mark as a distinguished chairman of the Jamaica Family Planning Association - Famplan - and was recognised as a leader in the field by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). Our condolences to his wife, the amazing Helen, and daughters Nancy and Karen.
lowriechin@aim.com
Jean Lowrie-Chin
Monday, August 06, 2007
Where is the dignity that comes with this 45-year Independence? Certainly not in the political motorcades or mass meetings. The protracted election campaign has brought out the worst in us. Yes, we grant that there will be some theatre in the campaigning, a little dancing, definitely humour, but certainly not this crass behaviour! One cartoonist depicted two politicians brawling while a market woman looked on in disgust.
Our leaders could be underestimating ordinary Jamaicans, if they believe that appealing to the lowest common denominator will help them to bag the elections. It is not that they don't know better - both the prime pinister and the leader of the opposition are elegant and dignified at official events. It is a real joy to see them stepping out with their spouses, an important message to our young people that real strength comes from family ties, respect for partner and responsibility for children.
This is why the Golding campaign, featuring family members, is having such resonance, a relief from the old "kass-kass" style politics. One of the greatest votes of confidence I have ever heard for the PM came from her own articulate husband in a television interview after she was elected PNP president.
The PNP is missing out by not editing that interview and using it to support their campaign, which now needs a fresh fillip.
When on Sunday, July 8 Prime Minister Simpson Miller announced that elections would be held in seven weeks, there was speculation that this long haul would exhaust the JLP's campaign funds and widen the PNP lead which was fairly significant then. Bruce Golding's rather worried response at the JLP post-announcement press briefing filled PNP supporters with glee.
However, Don Anderson's latest poll has shown the PNP in a relatively static position, while the JLP has been gaining ground. A youngster in my office demonstrated the ring tone on his cellphone: "Jamaica needs a change now!" it sang, followed by, "Not changing course!" He told me that someone blue-toothed the ring tone to his phone after he heard it while waiting in line at the bank. "Everybody was asking for it," he said.
We have to wonder, has the PNP become so sure of its old winning formulae that it is totally disregarding the fact that there are 1.8 million cellphones in use in Jamaica? That's more than the 1.3 million on the voters' list! Entrepreneurs know that you ignore trends at your own peril.
The most popular local television show is "Rising Stars", and most of the songs presented are either R&B or light reggae, rarely dancehall. Are our rising political stars out of sync with the music? With cheaper digital technology, we are getting a better variety of local programming. Michael Sharpe has the country talking on "Your Issues Live" and Garfield Burford has aced "Direct". Of course, we continue to follow two of my favourites, Dionne Jackson-Miller and Cliff Hughes.
This very government that has given us a smorgasbord of new media by granting broadcast licences, that has liberalised the telecoms market by inviting in new players, seems to be unaware of the new trends that they have helped to create! While the PNP is stuck in the old ways of politicking, the JLP is using the very devices facilitated by its opponent, to give them a good run.
Business pages and programmes are now plentiful and the ordinary Jamaican is hearing substantial discussion on our economy, business developments and opportunities. The cellphone has made plumbers and manicurists into self-sufficient small businesses. Even as this government has helped Jamaica to grow up, it is still treating the electorate as backward juveniles.
We are seeing several JLP ads on YouTube but few, if any, PNP ads. We see newscasts that contrast a fun-loving flippant incumbent with a serious, dignified challenger. Here are two of the many anti-PNP comments posted on YouTube:
"Come Portia... u need to be discussing issues and stop the name calling. Tell the masses how you're going to address the problems that plague JA. 18 years of misleading, increased crimes, poor education, poor health care, poor parochial roads, dying agricultural sector, lacklustre economy... C'mon PNP get with the programme."
- "Wow! Why is Portia not talking about the issues? This is driving people away from the PNP. Plus she went to Portmore and NEVER talked about the TOLL ROAD..."
My assessment of these responses is that Portia could be losing the youth vote. These young people live on YouTube and are constantly on their cellphones. Bruce Golding has young adults, his own son and daughter, speaking convincingly about their "Pops."
The presentation of a well-thought-out JLP manifesto last Monday has received accolades. Coming soon after the CNN-YouTube Democratic debate, Bruce projected an urbane, Saville Row persona, not unlike that other "brown-man", Barack Obama. We are definitely influenced, surfing between local and foreign channels. I believe that as Portia got a push last year from Oprah, Bruce is now getting a boost from Barack.
And so, we wait with bated breath for the national debates later this week. The bets are on as to whether the PM will actually show up. If I were her communications adviser, what would I tell her? Well, first, she should subject herself to some serious coaching, but show up she must. The nation has a new appetite for discussion, and hope that Bruce and Portia, the "iron chefs" of politics, will be offering them some substantial food for thought.
Farewell, Peter Myers
Retired senior partner of Livingston Alexander & Levy, H Peter Myers transited last Monday after a long illness. He has made a lasting mark as a distinguished chairman of the Jamaica Family Planning Association - Famplan - and was recognised as a leader in the field by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). Our condolences to his wife, the amazing Helen, and daughters Nancy and Karen.
lowriechin@aim.com
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