THE JAMAICA Labour Party (JLP) completed their internal party elections for top leadership posts on Sunday. This exercise began with the election of two new Deputy Leaders two weeks ago at the Party's delegates conference. At that conference the delegates signalled their intentions for change. In doing so they gave the second and third tier leadership a push start. These two levels of leadership comprise the approximately 150 members of the Central Executive Committee of the Party.
SWEEPING CHANGE
In electing the remainder of their first tier leadership on Sunday, they completed a significant change in personnel at the Officer Level. This was consistent with the mood of the delegates two weeks ago.
Of 14 top leadership posts, five incumbents remain in their positions. These five are the Party Leader Edward Seaga, two Deputy Leaders Derrick Smith and Audley Shaw as well as the Treasurer Christopher Bovell and his deputy Shirley Williams.
The nine newly elected include the two recently elected Deputy Leaders Horace Chang and James Robertson. They are joined by the new Chairman Bruce Golding and his Deputy Percival Broderick. Completing the new nine are General Secretary Karl Samuda and his four Deputies - Joel Williams, Andre Franklin, Devon McDaniel and Don Creary.
THE BACKGROUND
The sweeping change in personnel must be seen against the background of the Party Leader's prior public concern and opposition to internal elections "at this time". This sentiment was made public by him in October on the Breakfast Club. The initial rationale was the need for consolidation after "a good showing" in the General Elections as well as the winning of the Local Government Elections. It is now quite obvious, through their actions, that neither the delegates nor the Central Executive shared that concern or analysis.
In underpinning this observation it can be factually recalled that the delegates resisted the negative intervention of the Party Leader at the conference. Importantly, this resistance took place in an environment devoid of the fractiousness usually associated with JLP internal elections.
Equally significant is the fact that the post-conference public disclosures of "illegal money" by the Party leader has had little effect on the voting at the level of the Central Executive. Despite what was clearly an obvious effort to create a diversion from the real messages and signals from the delegates, the Central Executive completed the delegates' agenda of bringing about sweeping changes in the top leadership. Here again the elections took place without incident. This can only augur well for the JLP. Democracy or the lack of it in the party has historically been the subject of deep concern by the wider public.
THE GOLDING FACTOR
After seven years on the outside and only 13 months since his return to the party Bruce Golding was returned unopposed as Chairman. Reports indicate that he received a standing ovation at the Central Executive. This was in stark contrast to the public session of the Party's Conference two weeks earlier where he was clearly ignored by the leader and elements of the leadership.
It will be interesting to see the outcome of the ill-fated JLP/Golding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of September 2002. Standing Committee member and M.P. Delroy Chuck recently disclosed on Power 106 "Perkins On Line" talk show that there has been no discussion of the MOU at that level. While acknowledging the need or desire for re-establishing party unity and making attempts at reconciliation, it cannot be business as usual. The Party delegates are crying out for a winning formula. The nation desperately needs a new political culture.
OLD FORMULA
The old JLP formula for removing an incumbent Government based on the principle of "waiting on the melon to ripe" or for "the apple to fall" has exhausted the patience of the Party faithful.
The cry of "Wolf, Wolf" accompanied by perpetual predictions on the economy of crunch time has flattered only to deceive. The analysis designed to give hope based on the notion that after seven unsuccessful attempts, the JLP came close to winning the 2002 General Election has only short term appeal. The interpretation that the win in the Local Government Elections is a prelude to a victory in the General loses its validity when it is soberly recalled that PNP voter abstention was a major factor.
The call from the delegates and the Central Executive is not to 'wait for the apple to fall'. Internally and externally there is a demand to 'shake the tree'.
A dental surgeon, Dr. D.K. Duncan is a former General Secretary and Cabinet Minister in the PNP Administration of the 1970s.
