Calvin BowenAS THE post-election Presidential drama continues to play out in the United States, with no immediate end in sight, it is perhaps time for us in Jamaica to turn our attention away from the television screen and take a look at the reality of our own political-cum-election situation here at home.
There can be no comparison between the two systems.
The American electorate is a highly organised voting machine, divided almost equally between the two powerful Democratic and Republican parties. This condition has reached its zenith in the present deadlock following the holding of the November 7 election.
Our situation bears not the slightest resemblance to that one. Here we are apparently locked into a state where the People's National Party, as the popular national choice for leadership, appears sure to hold on to the reins of government indefinitely. Having won an unprecedented third term in office, it seems set to create further history by winning a fourth term.
Perhaps it might be argued that this state of affairs shows stability and continuity of policy in the management of the nation's business. But it also can be seen as a period of stagnation in which little or no economic progress is being made, and life in Jamaica is becoming almost unbearable as the social fabric shows signs of deterioration.
At the foot of the problem would seem to lie the difference between the United States and us. As the latest event has demonstrated, the Republican Party, although without the power and authority of having a President in the White House, has been able to mount such a successful campaign against the incumbent Democratic Party to the point of bringing it to its knees.
Here in Jamaica, the Jamaica Labour Party, which has been in Opposition during the long tenure of the PNP as the head of government, appears incapable of mounting such an offensive.
Far from being united and presenting a strong challenge for the national leadership, it spends a great deal of its time and attention fighting strife within its ranks and certainly not showing itself to be a government-in-waiting.
So with a strong PNP in the saddle and a weak JLP yet to project an image of solidarity and sense of purpose, the prospect of a change of government at the next General Parliamentary Election whenever it is called would appear to be very remote indeed.
But all is not lost. There are stirrings in the undergrowth, suggesting that the country is not suffering from total political paralysis. These may be mere straws in the wind, but developments such as the dramatic resignation of Danny Melville from the Government, and the call that is being made in at least one influential quarter for the formation of a coalition government to deal with the country's many problems are hopeful signs of life in the Jamaican body politic.
What might be needed is some new force, some new imperative that will help to remove some of the rigidity from the present administrative structure. Perhaps the PNP could galvanise itself into a more dynamic organisation, making an even greater effort to tackle the monster of crime and violence, to stimulate investment and production, and to reduce the heavy burden of unemployment and poverty.
Or, should fortune smile on us, the JLP might be able to exert that extra effort and come out with a programme of economic and social betterment that will capture the imagination of the voters and return them to Jamaica House for another turn at running the country.
As the Americans try to sort out their election troubles, it would be good if we Jamaicans could concentrate more on our own future and see if we can find a political solution to our problems. No amount of wishful thinking is going to do it. It will require hard work.
The basic intelligence of the average Jamaican man and woman and the undoubted strength of the business, industrial and intellectual leadership need to come out from behind the mindlessness of mere ideology and join forces in order to ensure that those whom we elect to office are indeed fit and proper persons to lead the country, and who are not chosen purely on the basis of party affiliation.
Carried to excess, partisan politics, as has been shown in the great United States, are the bane of good government. Jamaica has suffered for too long from the evil effect of partisan politics. It is time we rid ourselves of the horrible scourge of tribalism which has been destroying our nation.
With this resolve let us look forward with faith and courage to the next election. Let it be a peaceful one. Let us exercise the wisdom and look carefully at the persons offering themselves for election: and, without abandoning the parliamentary democratic tradition of voting along party lines, let us select 60 good men and women whom we genuinely believe are best suited to take charge of the country's affairs.
Calvin Bowen is a retired Assistant Editor of The Gleaner.
