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Sometimes we win. Sometimes we lose
Barbara Gloudon
Friday, September 07, 2007
THE STRIFE IS O'ER... the battle won... Now we know what was to come after September 3. We salute the victors - Mr Bruce Golding and his team and wish them well. To Mrs Portia Simpson Miller and her ensemble, sometimes, you win, sometimes you lose.
The counting and re-counting of ballots, the promised legal actions, the joy and the sorrow, will all have to subside sooner than later. Some JLP supporters are a little tetchy in their belief that there is not enough recognition of the achievement of their party's success. Contentious issues are being raised, they say, almost as if there is nothing to celebrate, nothing to be joyous about.
They're right to take pride in the fact that their party ran a well-organised campaign, leaving nothing to chance. The reward for successful incursions into traditional PNP territories was victory. Old beliefs about who "owned" which constituency no longer apply. Today's voters are not bound by traditions. They voted as they saw fit. So, for instance, of the four seats in St Elizabeth which were regarded traditionally as PNP, three have been taken by the JLP. The final numbers keep changing each day puting the JLP further ahead. so they do have reason to celebrate.
The more some things change, the more some remain the same. One area of election conventional wisdom which has kept faith with the old tradition is the one which says: "He who wins the west, wins the rest." The JLP continued its inroads into PNP country and swept through western Jamaica, ending up taking the rest, so the tradition of the West is safe for now.
Then, there was the matter of prophecy which became a talking point through the campaign. It is hard to imagine how the Revd Philip Phinn will live down his failed prediction that Mrs Simpson Miller would be the undisputed winner at the polls. His pronouncement made him the butt of cartoonists, commentators and just about everyone else, questioning the relevance of his pronouncements and the validity of prophets and prophecy.
Now that his prediction missed the mark, this may well be the last time that we see prophets in politics. Incidentally, would his prophetic vision have proved valid if the polling date had not been changed from August 27 to September 3? We'll never know, will we?
MANY PEOPLE in church circles are somewhat embarrassed by all this prophecy and politics business. The (conservative) view is that it does neither the church nor politics any good to have "the world" laughing at what others hold sacred. Those who would like to see a scaling down of the growing closeness between church and state also weigh in with their views. Some are convinced that parson and politician alike are exploiting each other... which leaves us to wonder what will become of Pastor Phinn's announced intention to open a school of prophecy? Any bets?
Before we close the book on this, we still have the matter of "church people" who entered the political arena - with varying degrees of success. The road to the polling centre was not always easy, but Deacon Ronnie Thwaites (PNP, Central Kingston) prevailed, despite his Bishop's disapproval of his political involvement. Now that he's a winner, it should be interesting to know if his church leadership has relented and will bless his efforts to serve a constituency. The other clergyman who sought public office - the Rev Stanley Redwood (PNP, South St Elizabeth), did not make it to the winner's circle. There's no word of his flock giving him the cold-shoulder for his efforts.
AS CONGRATULATIONS pour in and Prime Minister-designate Golding prepares for his installation, it would be ungracious to bring up matters like promises made on the campaign trail, but it cannot be avoided. It is the matter of the abolition of school fees for secondary students.
Reports are coming in about the trepidation with which the opening day of the new school year is being faced by teachers and administrators alike. The revenue brought in by the fees assist the schools to pay the bills for teaching aids, janitor service, office supplies, etc. With Mr Golding's promise on the campaign trail that he will foot the bill the very next day after he assumes office and resulting in parents withholding their payment in anticipation of "freeniss", the schools' cash flow is drying up. Parents are refusing to pay for what they've been told will be free. Latest word is that parents at every level of teh school system, even bsaic school, are refusing to pay fees because they have interpreted it to include them. So where does that leave everybody? Mr Golding insists that the fees will be paid... and the school year begins on Monday.
ANOTHER ISSUE which arose out of the elections is the matter of dual citizenship. It is alleged that some JLP members of parliament currently hold citizenship in other countries. It is being argued that this should disqualify them as MPs. Legal action which is in the offing, is said to be supported by clauses in our own Constitution.
What is demanded of people who take on citizenship of another nation? The fact that the Jamaican Constitution grants the privilege of dual citizenship has many people asking, so what's the fuss about? We have learned from a legal source that the dual citizenship issue is not a problem for residents of the Commonwealth, that group of nations which have a common past in British colonialism.
The Jamaican Constitution permits a member of that unique group to become a voter and/or candidate in a Jamaican election after a minimum one-year period of residency here. A Jamaican living in Canada, or the United Kingdom who has taken out citizenship there, could establish residence in Jamaica and after a year, be able to enter representational politics.
The situation is different, however, for those who became citizens of the United States of America. The oath of allegiance required for citizenship there is serious business. Note this extract from the declaration... "I hereby declare an oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance to and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen..."
The declaration then goes on to speak of "expressed support" for and defence of the Constitution and laws of the USA and a pledge to bear arms, if necessary, in defence of the United States. Now that is serious stuff. One has to assume that those who take the oath do not do so lightly and understand the implications of breaking that oath. Arguments in the impending litigation about Jamaican parliamentarians and foreign citizenship will no doubt serve to enlighten us more on this issue which is (omit the pun) foreign to us.
YEAH MAN: It was really cool to see the respect given by international observers, to our electoral system and how efficiently it worked on Monday, even despite the moments of aberration created by those who still can't get it - violence is boring and wasteful.
WHERE ARE THE WOMEN? Despite the dominance of women in business, academe, etc, when it comes to politics why are we still way behind in the male to female ratio of parliamentarians? And now my apology for stating last week that Portia Simpson Miller was "the first female PM in the Caribbean." Of course not. Count them... Dame Eugenia Charles of Dominica (who was also an Opposition Leader as well) and Janet Jagan of Guyana. (What was I not thinking?) To all my readers who called me on that, thanks. You can correct me any time. Respect!
gloudonb@yahoo.com
Barbara Gloudon
Friday, September 07, 2007
THE STRIFE IS O'ER... the battle won... Now we know what was to come after September 3. We salute the victors - Mr Bruce Golding and his team and wish them well. To Mrs Portia Simpson Miller and her ensemble, sometimes, you win, sometimes you lose.
The counting and re-counting of ballots, the promised legal actions, the joy and the sorrow, will all have to subside sooner than later. Some JLP supporters are a little tetchy in their belief that there is not enough recognition of the achievement of their party's success. Contentious issues are being raised, they say, almost as if there is nothing to celebrate, nothing to be joyous about.
They're right to take pride in the fact that their party ran a well-organised campaign, leaving nothing to chance. The reward for successful incursions into traditional PNP territories was victory. Old beliefs about who "owned" which constituency no longer apply. Today's voters are not bound by traditions. They voted as they saw fit. So, for instance, of the four seats in St Elizabeth which were regarded traditionally as PNP, three have been taken by the JLP. The final numbers keep changing each day puting the JLP further ahead. so they do have reason to celebrate.
The more some things change, the more some remain the same. One area of election conventional wisdom which has kept faith with the old tradition is the one which says: "He who wins the west, wins the rest." The JLP continued its inroads into PNP country and swept through western Jamaica, ending up taking the rest, so the tradition of the West is safe for now.
Then, there was the matter of prophecy which became a talking point through the campaign. It is hard to imagine how the Revd Philip Phinn will live down his failed prediction that Mrs Simpson Miller would be the undisputed winner at the polls. His pronouncement made him the butt of cartoonists, commentators and just about everyone else, questioning the relevance of his pronouncements and the validity of prophets and prophecy.
Now that his prediction missed the mark, this may well be the last time that we see prophets in politics. Incidentally, would his prophetic vision have proved valid if the polling date had not been changed from August 27 to September 3? We'll never know, will we?
MANY PEOPLE in church circles are somewhat embarrassed by all this prophecy and politics business. The (conservative) view is that it does neither the church nor politics any good to have "the world" laughing at what others hold sacred. Those who would like to see a scaling down of the growing closeness between church and state also weigh in with their views. Some are convinced that parson and politician alike are exploiting each other... which leaves us to wonder what will become of Pastor Phinn's announced intention to open a school of prophecy? Any bets?
Before we close the book on this, we still have the matter of "church people" who entered the political arena - with varying degrees of success. The road to the polling centre was not always easy, but Deacon Ronnie Thwaites (PNP, Central Kingston) prevailed, despite his Bishop's disapproval of his political involvement. Now that he's a winner, it should be interesting to know if his church leadership has relented and will bless his efforts to serve a constituency. The other clergyman who sought public office - the Rev Stanley Redwood (PNP, South St Elizabeth), did not make it to the winner's circle. There's no word of his flock giving him the cold-shoulder for his efforts.
AS CONGRATULATIONS pour in and Prime Minister-designate Golding prepares for his installation, it would be ungracious to bring up matters like promises made on the campaign trail, but it cannot be avoided. It is the matter of the abolition of school fees for secondary students.
Reports are coming in about the trepidation with which the opening day of the new school year is being faced by teachers and administrators alike. The revenue brought in by the fees assist the schools to pay the bills for teaching aids, janitor service, office supplies, etc. With Mr Golding's promise on the campaign trail that he will foot the bill the very next day after he assumes office and resulting in parents withholding their payment in anticipation of "freeniss", the schools' cash flow is drying up. Parents are refusing to pay for what they've been told will be free. Latest word is that parents at every level of teh school system, even bsaic school, are refusing to pay fees because they have interpreted it to include them. So where does that leave everybody? Mr Golding insists that the fees will be paid... and the school year begins on Monday.
ANOTHER ISSUE which arose out of the elections is the matter of dual citizenship. It is alleged that some JLP members of parliament currently hold citizenship in other countries. It is being argued that this should disqualify them as MPs. Legal action which is in the offing, is said to be supported by clauses in our own Constitution.
What is demanded of people who take on citizenship of another nation? The fact that the Jamaican Constitution grants the privilege of dual citizenship has many people asking, so what's the fuss about? We have learned from a legal source that the dual citizenship issue is not a problem for residents of the Commonwealth, that group of nations which have a common past in British colonialism.
The Jamaican Constitution permits a member of that unique group to become a voter and/or candidate in a Jamaican election after a minimum one-year period of residency here. A Jamaican living in Canada, or the United Kingdom who has taken out citizenship there, could establish residence in Jamaica and after a year, be able to enter representational politics.
The situation is different, however, for those who became citizens of the United States of America. The oath of allegiance required for citizenship there is serious business. Note this extract from the declaration... "I hereby declare an oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance to and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen..."
The declaration then goes on to speak of "expressed support" for and defence of the Constitution and laws of the USA and a pledge to bear arms, if necessary, in defence of the United States. Now that is serious stuff. One has to assume that those who take the oath do not do so lightly and understand the implications of breaking that oath. Arguments in the impending litigation about Jamaican parliamentarians and foreign citizenship will no doubt serve to enlighten us more on this issue which is (omit the pun) foreign to us.
YEAH MAN: It was really cool to see the respect given by international observers, to our electoral system and how efficiently it worked on Monday, even despite the moments of aberration created by those who still can't get it - violence is boring and wasteful.
WHERE ARE THE WOMEN? Despite the dominance of women in business, academe, etc, when it comes to politics why are we still way behind in the male to female ratio of parliamentarians? And now my apology for stating last week that Portia Simpson Miller was "the first female PM in the Caribbean." Of course not. Count them... Dame Eugenia Charles of Dominica (who was also an Opposition Leader as well) and Janet Jagan of Guyana. (What was I not thinking?) To all my readers who called me on that, thanks. You can correct me any time. Respect!
gloudonb@yahoo.com