- Norman GrindleyThe face of Olivia "Babsy" Grange, Member of Parliament for St. Catherine Central is covered on this mural.
RESIDENTS in at least two of the country's garrison communities are openly registering their disgust with their Members of Parliament, but that may not diminish the role that these communities are expected to play in the general election constitutionally due before March 2003.
On sections of Old Harbour Road and in the community of Homestead in St. Catherine, there are murals with the face of Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Edward Seaga and what used to be the face of Olivia "Babsy" Grange, Member of Parliament for the St. Catherine Central constituency. The youth of that community have marked out her face with black paint as a sign of disappointment and disgust with "politics."
In Kingston, some people in the community of Rema are complaining that they rarely see Omar Davies, People's National Party Member of Parliament for this St. Andrew Southern constituency. While up the road, in Arnett Gardens, others say there is little benefit from the inherited allegiance to the PNP.
These communities are in two of the 12 constituencies identified by political scholars as "garrison" areas. They have earned this description mainly because of the consistent voting pattern in favour of one party. In these areas, the unfavourable party usually gets 10 per cent or less of the votes.
Constituencies like these guarantee their political representatives a place in Parliament, and can determine which party will form the Government after an election.
Ms. Grange rejects the term 'garrison' and instead points out that hers is one of many communities across Jamaica that "votes overwhelmingly in favour of one party".
"I think they will continue to vote overwhelmingly for their choice because in this election people are clear in their minds that they want a change. In some areas some constituents might vote overwhelmingly because they have received special attention but I think by and large the voting population will indicate that they want a change," Ms. Grange said.
She explained that her face was painted out by a handful of young men who were "jealous" that she was extending herself to other communities and not only theirs. She said she will replace her paintings with those of National Heroes.
Most of the people with whom The Sunday Gleaner spoke last week, understood the term garrison to mean a group of outlaws and on that basis rejected that definition of their community.
"When they say garrison, they downgrade us. They think that we live the worst way and don't raise our children good. But I raise my son good. They think it's a poor place with pure gunmen, but it is not. People think we are all hand-out people and we are not," said Marlett Gayle, who has lived in Rema for 35 years.
Other members of the community accepted this description of their community.
"It functions as a garrison community because the State doesn't really rule the community 100 per cent. Anywhere the State not in full control is a garrison and this is helpful to some and not to others. Is the people set the rules, it's not up to the Minister - if they want it changed they can but as long as people gaining from it the system not going to change," said "Boaty", a middle-aged man who has lived in Arnett Gardens for 47 years.
Despite varying degrees of displeasure, commitment to the party seems hinged on the development of the community through the building of houses decades ago and the few achievements that exist today.
"This community is a staunch PNP area, it can't change. We build it that way, through the honourable Tony Spaulding (former Minister of Housing) and what he has done for this community we have to vote PNP," said King George an elderly man who has lived in Arnett Gardens for 44 years.
But, Harry Douglas, PNP Assistant General Secretary, feels that traditional ties will not be sufficient to win the support of voters in this election.
"There is a turning-off of people from the electorate - it's a similar trend with the Opposition. The politicians will have to work harder in the garrisons because there is nothing much to galvanise the people," Mr. Douglas said.
University of the West Indies lecturer, Dr. Mark Figueroa in his work on "Homogenous Voting, Electoral Manipulation and the 'Garrison' Process in Jamaica," published in the March 2002 issue of the journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics states, identified 12 garrison constituencies. He also noted the complexity of the garrison process which not only involves whole constituencies, but small garrisons within constituencies.
Rohan Reid, of Homestead affirms Dr. Figueroa's findings. Though he, and other young men, gathered in groups along the lane, talking or playing cards, reject their MP, they still embrace the party.
"This community is Labourite. The people them round here love Labour party from Bustamante days. But frankly the youth not dealing with no politics they not benefiting. We no inna Babsy Grange, Seaga or Bruce Golding, politician no do nothing for the youth dem, we naa deal with politician - a foreign we a deal with." said Mr. Reid, a resident of the community for 29 years.
He claims that the changes in the community over the last several years are such that, "people can vote any how them want, nobody naa trouble dem, but a JLP area dis."
Dr. Figueroa's work points to the coming election as pivotal in indicating the future direction of garrisons. Though there were slight changes in the voting patterns of some communities in 1997, says the lecturer, that does not signal a decline in the influence and role of garrisons.
"The results of the 1997 election signal a break in this electoral trend...but until the 2002 election has been held it will be difficult to predict the long-term development and impact...what is clear is that the widespread impact of the garrison culture will continue to reverberate in Kingston and beyond."
K. B
