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Jamaica the winner
Jean Lowrie-Chin
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sitting prettily between Cuba and Haiti, Jamaica was definitely the winner in last week's debates. Unlike our two neighbours, we can field articulate politicians and media panels, listen to vigorous debates and proceed to an orderly election. Even as we pronounce and denounce, let us never forget it is because of the noble spirit of both political parties that Jamaica has been able to preserve its proud democracy.
Jean Lowrie-Chin
We should not be so disparaging that we lose sight of the fact that it is a nerve-wracking time for all our brave political hopefuls.
We can only imagine the frantic preparations the debating politicians made, even as they were dealing with the demands of campaign and constituents. I would agree with the media polls and reports that of the three debates, the Jamaica Labour Party(JLP) came out ahead, 2-1. Dr Peter Phillips won over Dr Ken Baugh on Wednesday night, but the other two nights belonged to the JLP.
However, each and every participant had their shining moments, and we learned a lot from these discourses. Neither Ken Baugh nor Dr Omar Davies lost heavily, though I am afraid that Portia Simpson Miller was decisively outpaced by Bruce Golding.
The wet weather ensured a wide audience for the final two debates. Two young people who would have been getting ready for a party ended up in front of the TV when rain forced a cancellation. "Why does the PM look so frozen?" one asked. As I looked at the PM's tense countenance, I answered, "Because she is petrified."
Very few of us have never felt overwhelmed by circumstances, and Portia Simpson Miller is no exception. Over here is a woman "from the bowels of the people" (I hope she finds a more appetising way to communicate this fine thought). Over there is a man, the beneficiary of the interesting dining-table discussions with a teacher-politician father and teacher mother, and educated at traditional high schools and the UWI. The CVM-TV audience gave Golding 64 per cent over Simpson Miller's 36 per cent of some 8,000 votes called in to the station.
But the JLP still should not get too carried away. After Golding stumped Simpson Miller with a question during a parliamentary sitting a few months ago, and was being shouted down, he turned to the Speaker of the House and asked if this meant that he should not direct any questions to "this prime minister".
Even as the votes were high for Golding, Simpson Miller had some good moments.
One sympathiser was feeling embarrassed for the PM until she heard this commentary on the incident at a roadside shop. "But why the Golding 'im was-a bother Sister P? Why 'im asking her dem question? 'Im must ask Omar or Peter and leave Portia - she in dere for wi!" We will know on August 27 if her projection of her "Mama Portia" persona during the debate scored her points. Even as middle-class folks are feeling that the JLP hit pay-dirt with the "don't draw mi tongue" ad, already we are hearing lower-income women saying that they like the ad because "it show Sister P get mad like wi".
Bruce Golding was quite the gentleman when a question was broached about the criticisms levelled against Portia by her Cabinet colleagues last year. He refused to make any comment, except to declare that the people of Jamaica will eventually make their choice.
The poor conditions, the grinding poverty of the people in her constituency were thrown up and became a good endorsement for Golding's proposal for increased funds to MPs for their constituencies. Political correctness has been the watchword throughout the debates and it was funny to watch Dr Phillips and Dr Baugh dance around the gay rights issue.
Dr Phillips did well with his facts and figures: poverty reduction from 30 per cent to 15 per cent; reduction of cocaine trans-shipment from 20 per cent to two per cent from Jamaica to North America; $2 billion to hospital expansion and equipment, increased tertiary-level enrolment from six per cent to 20 per cent.
But Dr Baugh was a very cool customer and scored points on the issues of unemployment, and our antiquated justice system.
Audley Shaw gave us the best drama and throw-away lines: "Over the past 18 years, we have been the victims of their manifesto"; "poverty is not declining. even begging is up". Dr Davies gave us strong figures but in a rather offhand manner - borrowing rates were now at their lowest in 25 years and that investor and consumer confidence were high. One wonders if last year's presidential race has sapped his enthusiasm.
Even as the votes were high for Golding, Simpson Miller had some good moments, particularly towards the end of the debate and in her closing statement. She recovered that endearing passion as she reminded us that she had great hope for the country, "We are achievers, not losers."
The star of the debates was undoubtedly Bruce Golding. He was straightforward in response to such tough questions as his leaving the JLP to form the NDM, being the representative of a garrison community and having at first objected to the opening up of the parliamentary committee meetings to the media.
He won points for saying that he had left the JLP, because he had put principle ahead of party. Then he gave examples of "flip-flop" behaviour on the part of the PNP: in their relationship with Marc Rich, introducing cost-sharing and Trafigura.
It was refreshing to hear him admit that he had been studying the PNP manifesto and would have no difficulty discussing the areas of convergence, a mature departure from the constant "rubbishing" of one party's ideas by the other.
After this series of debates and the emergence of yet more creative ads from the JLP, Portia must be upset with herself for not calling elections sooner. But she is not as upset as overworked business folks who are losing so much productive time in the 50 long days between the calling and the polling - what was she thinking?
lowriechin@aim.com
Jean Lowrie-Chin
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sitting prettily between Cuba and Haiti, Jamaica was definitely the winner in last week's debates. Unlike our two neighbours, we can field articulate politicians and media panels, listen to vigorous debates and proceed to an orderly election. Even as we pronounce and denounce, let us never forget it is because of the noble spirit of both political parties that Jamaica has been able to preserve its proud democracy.
Jean Lowrie-ChinWe should not be so disparaging that we lose sight of the fact that it is a nerve-wracking time for all our brave political hopefuls.
We can only imagine the frantic preparations the debating politicians made, even as they were dealing with the demands of campaign and constituents. I would agree with the media polls and reports that of the three debates, the Jamaica Labour Party(JLP) came out ahead, 2-1. Dr Peter Phillips won over Dr Ken Baugh on Wednesday night, but the other two nights belonged to the JLP.
However, each and every participant had their shining moments, and we learned a lot from these discourses. Neither Ken Baugh nor Dr Omar Davies lost heavily, though I am afraid that Portia Simpson Miller was decisively outpaced by Bruce Golding.
The wet weather ensured a wide audience for the final two debates. Two young people who would have been getting ready for a party ended up in front of the TV when rain forced a cancellation. "Why does the PM look so frozen?" one asked. As I looked at the PM's tense countenance, I answered, "Because she is petrified."
Very few of us have never felt overwhelmed by circumstances, and Portia Simpson Miller is no exception. Over here is a woman "from the bowels of the people" (I hope she finds a more appetising way to communicate this fine thought). Over there is a man, the beneficiary of the interesting dining-table discussions with a teacher-politician father and teacher mother, and educated at traditional high schools and the UWI. The CVM-TV audience gave Golding 64 per cent over Simpson Miller's 36 per cent of some 8,000 votes called in to the station.
But the JLP still should not get too carried away. After Golding stumped Simpson Miller with a question during a parliamentary sitting a few months ago, and was being shouted down, he turned to the Speaker of the House and asked if this meant that he should not direct any questions to "this prime minister".
Even as the votes were high for Golding, Simpson Miller had some good moments. One sympathiser was feeling embarrassed for the PM until she heard this commentary on the incident at a roadside shop. "But why the Golding 'im was-a bother Sister P? Why 'im asking her dem question? 'Im must ask Omar or Peter and leave Portia - she in dere for wi!" We will know on August 27 if her projection of her "Mama Portia" persona during the debate scored her points. Even as middle-class folks are feeling that the JLP hit pay-dirt with the "don't draw mi tongue" ad, already we are hearing lower-income women saying that they like the ad because "it show Sister P get mad like wi".
Bruce Golding was quite the gentleman when a question was broached about the criticisms levelled against Portia by her Cabinet colleagues last year. He refused to make any comment, except to declare that the people of Jamaica will eventually make their choice.
The poor conditions, the grinding poverty of the people in her constituency were thrown up and became a good endorsement for Golding's proposal for increased funds to MPs for their constituencies. Political correctness has been the watchword throughout the debates and it was funny to watch Dr Phillips and Dr Baugh dance around the gay rights issue.
Dr Phillips did well with his facts and figures: poverty reduction from 30 per cent to 15 per cent; reduction of cocaine trans-shipment from 20 per cent to two per cent from Jamaica to North America; $2 billion to hospital expansion and equipment, increased tertiary-level enrolment from six per cent to 20 per cent.
But Dr Baugh was a very cool customer and scored points on the issues of unemployment, and our antiquated justice system.
Audley Shaw gave us the best drama and throw-away lines: "Over the past 18 years, we have been the victims of their manifesto"; "poverty is not declining. even begging is up". Dr Davies gave us strong figures but in a rather offhand manner - borrowing rates were now at their lowest in 25 years and that investor and consumer confidence were high. One wonders if last year's presidential race has sapped his enthusiasm.
Even as the votes were high for Golding, Simpson Miller had some good moments, particularly towards the end of the debate and in her closing statement. She recovered that endearing passion as she reminded us that she had great hope for the country, "We are achievers, not losers."
The star of the debates was undoubtedly Bruce Golding. He was straightforward in response to such tough questions as his leaving the JLP to form the NDM, being the representative of a garrison community and having at first objected to the opening up of the parliamentary committee meetings to the media.
He won points for saying that he had left the JLP, because he had put principle ahead of party. Then he gave examples of "flip-flop" behaviour on the part of the PNP: in their relationship with Marc Rich, introducing cost-sharing and Trafigura.
It was refreshing to hear him admit that he had been studying the PNP manifesto and would have no difficulty discussing the areas of convergence, a mature departure from the constant "rubbishing" of one party's ideas by the other.
After this series of debates and the emergence of yet more creative ads from the JLP, Portia must be upset with herself for not calling elections sooner. But she is not as upset as overworked business folks who are losing so much productive time in the 50 long days between the calling and the polling - what was she thinking?
lowriechin@aim.com