BRUCE GOLDING'S campaign for leadership of the J.L.P. was based on a theme of being, 'new and different'. It is easy to understand why he adopted this slogan; he was succeeding a leader whose style of politics was generally characterised by a penchant for confrontation and strident rhetoric. In fact, there was an overwhelming sense of collective relief when Edward Seaga finally announced his long overdue resignation from national politics. Recent events however suggest that Mr. Golding is comfortably mired in the morass of what is old and stale in Jamaican politics.
Having taken over political representation of West Kingston, he seems to have forgotten that he has perhaps inspired a whole generation of young Jamaicans who are essentially politically neutral and have been drawn to the prospect of a leader who has a vision for national unity and reconstruction.
Three weeks ago Mr. Golding felt compelled to enter Tivoli Gardens during the curfew of the area by the nation's security forces in the course of a legitimate operation seeking to capture wanted men who have eluded the police for a considerable period of time.
In front of the television cameras, Mr. Golding spoke loftily of the need for himself and his cohorts to be present in Tivoli so as to ensure the 'protection' of the residents from the rampaging agents of State power.
SIMILAR OPERATIONS
It hardly seems to matter to the Opposition that the security forces had conducted thousands of similar operations in communities in which criminals are widely known to have organised gangs which terrorise law-abiding residents by their continuous cycle of murder and revenge, leaving entire communities in sections of Mountain View, Arnett Gardens and Maxfield Avenue in debilitating shock and paralysing fear. Why then should Tivoli Gardens be treated as a special case, where any major operation conducted by the security forces inevitably results in a hysterical outburst of partisan accusations of bias and improper motive.
In the aftermath of this unfortunate episode, the assertions by the Chief of Staff of the J.D.F. that Tivoli is a 'super garrison, the mother of all garrisons', raise alarming prospects. Rear Admiral Lewin spoke in a tone and used language to clearly convey the intention of the security forces to deploy overwhelming force against those who continue to use this community as cover and a virtual haven for their nefarious criminal activity.
THE PROBLEM
The problem is of course that the consistent result of this type of confrontation is that many innocent and unarmed residents are killed and injured.
How long will this cycle of violence continue? How much more blood of innocent victims must flow in the streets of these communities before the leaders of the State adopt genuine and responsible positions which eschew partisan posturing and cheap 'politricks'? Is Bruce Golding willing to hand over information to which he may be privy concerning the whereabouts of wanted men associated with his constituency, to the Commissioner of Police?
THE OTHER LEADERS
And what about the other leaders who represent garrison constituencies? Would PNP leadership aspirants Dr. Omar Davies, Portia Simpson Miller or Dr. Peter Phillips defy the prevailing insane political culture and give the Police High Command all the information which is available to them concerning the whereabouts of men, including 'activists' who are wanted by the police?
It is undoubtedly true that serious crime is deeply rooted in many social problems, including inequality and injustice, which have existed in Jamaica for many years. We continue however to overlook and ignore the political quagmire within which our nation now exists. With little or no exception, our political leaders seem consumed by partisan narrow-mindedness, an obsessive pursuit of power, an arrogant sense of their own importance and a proven inability to unite around critical national issues.
Civic Jamaica, including the leaders of all the sectors in our society which have a fundamental interest in the rule of law and the prosperity and security of our nation, must now find independent and fearless leaders to help to mobilise the nation in a crusade for peace and above all, a revolution in political leadership.
Contributed by Mark A. Douglas, markadoug_6@yahoo.com, Montego Bay
