Beverley Anderson -Manley
THE COUNTDOWN
WITH 12 days to go, the People's National Party has now completed the verification of the list of groups that qualify to provide delegates who will vote in the presidential elections on February 25. By now, too, a preliminary delegates list would have been completed.
In any election, the voters' list is critical and must be accepted by all contenders in order to avoid problems before and after. It is not surprising that the process is often traumatic with accusations coming from one leadership camp or the other.
As party leaders and members continue to count the days it is useful for them, and in particular the leadership contenders to work with even more intensity than ever to ensure that once the list is seen as fair that they contact as many of the delegates on the list as possible.
EDUCATING THE VOTERS
Democracy works best when voters make their decisions based on facts not emotion. Therefore, it is important in a democracy that every attempt is made to educate voters about choices available to them and these choices, more than ever in this technological age, must be based on as much information and knowledge as possible.
This is one of the duties of a leader, to avoid keeping secrets from the people and to have enough respect for those they serve to trust them with information. This, in turn, prevents leaders from being populist and making promises they know they cannot keep.
For example, on the subject of the economy - all contenders have been or are part of the governing collective. By now they ought to know that the options here are limited.
Hence, loose talk about creating jobs and making things happen that were not possible in the last 17 years is not only ridiculous but contemptuous of the voters and people of Jamaica.
This is not to say that having recognised the limitations - there are no possibilities. But what must be demanded of the contenders is that they are specific in how they plan to make a difference.
When the roar of the crowd is dancing and playing in the head of the leader it is so easy to make pronouncements that are often irresponsible. Jamaica has no more time to repeat mistakes.
There are just too many challenges facing our country at this time. Hence, much is expected of the new leader of the PNP and new Prime Minister of Jamaica.
THE N.W. MANLEY FAREWELL
Announcing his decision to retire at a banquet given in his honour on the occasion of his 75th birthday on July 4, 1968, the principal founder of the PNP, Norman Washington Manley was understandably preoccupied with the question of succession:
"I pray for him, whoever he may be, that he may have the strength and wisdom to preserve the unity of the party, and to give it a new dynamic and a new sense of purpose ... I pray for him on the lonely road he must travel, and he will find on his desk so often the legend "the buck stops here.
"So often he will know - if he is a man of deeds and not words - that on his shoulders and his alone rests the finality of decision and action, and the judgement of history.
"I pray that he will, as Antaeus of old, draw strength from the earth from the courage of the people, the feel of their hands and the sound of their feet, the roar in their throats and the love of their hearts. It is not for me to decide whom you will choose, nor even to influence the choice. Men stand strongest when they are their own masters".
These words were coming from a man who had experienced leadership in the most challenging ways, including losing his seat in the 1944 elections, losing the referendum in 1961 and the subsequent general elections in 1962. This was a man who, among other things set the high standards for the role of Leader of the Opposition in Jamaica.
In the days to come the four candidates would do well to heed his words. It is the delegates who have the power.
Beverley Anderson Manley is a political scientist and gender specialist. Email: Bmanley@kasnet.com
