BRUCE GOLDING, chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has refused to comment on a letter from party leader Edward Seaga criticising him as a poor leader.
"I am not discussing it," he told The Gleaner yesterday. He said it would be inappropriate for him to discuss the contents of the letter before it was presented to the party's Standing Committee.
The letter dated, June 29, 2004, a copy of which was obtained by The Gleaner yesterday, was sent to Mr. Golding by Mr. Seaga indicating that he would not be seeking re-election as party leader at the JLP's annual conference in November.
According to Mr. Seaga. a trend of vulgar indiscipline and shameful discourtesy had been developing in the party since the beginning of the year with deterioration with each meeting. The "real problem," he said, with defusing the tension and stabilising the party, was the ineffectiveness of Mr. Golding's leadership as chairman in curbing the conduct of some JLP members.
"I have always had the greatest respect for your ability as a thoughtful person with a good analytical mind but it should come as no surprise to you if I repeat once more, as I have publicly done in the past, that you lack the skills to lead effectively," he said.
He also said that having given deep thought to his proposal at a Standing Committee meeting on Monday night for the establishment of a joint committee comprising deputy leader Derrick Smith and chairman Bruce Golding to deal with the root causes of the division in the party, he now reckons that such a committee would be futile.
"I am convinced that no committee for stabilisation can heal this split as members no longer trust each other or like each other. The JLP is now a bitterly divided party," he said.
June 29, 2004
Senator Bruce Golding
Chairman
Jamaica Labour Party
JLP Headquarters
Belmont Road
Kingston
Dear Chairman,
The meeting of the Standing Committee of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) last night was the most disgraceful I have ever attended over the 45 years of my involvement in the JLP. This should really come as no surprise because the trend of vulgar indiscipline and shameful discourtesy has been developing since the beginning of this year with deterioration with each meeting.
At the close of the meeting last night I proposed that a committee should be appointed jointly by yourself and Deputy Leader Derrick Smith to deal with a number of root causes of the problems which have been dividing the JLP. Solution to these problems would stabilise the Party and enable it to come to peace within itself so that it could establish an agreed agenda for the future.
I have this morning given further thought to this plan and, on further consideration, I believe it to be futile as the real problem is not the issues which I identified for discussion.
The real problem is the ineffectiveness of your leadership as Chairman in curbing the conduct of those around you. While you continue to offer ineffective leadership the Party will continue to disintegrate without any hope for recovery.
I have always had the greatest respect for your ability as a thoughtful person with a good analytical mind, but it should come as no surprise to you if I repeat once more, as I have publicly done in the past, that you lack the skills to lead effectively.
Since the beginning of this year, I have taken a back seat in the administration of the Party to allow the new administration to have the opportunity to manage the affairs of the Party while I concentrated on national matters.
The result has been that the JLP is now in its worst state ever. I am convinced that no committee for stabilisation can heal this split as members no longer trust each other or like each other. The JLP is now a bitterly divided Party.
In these circumstances I have revised not only my own thinking but my own plans. Last week Wednesday, June 23, six members of Parliament asked to see me privately. They asked me to advise them of my plans for my future leadership in order that they could make their own plans for the future. Because it was my intention to announce my retirement plan at the Central Executive meeting on June 27, which was the appropriate location (hence my reason for wanting full, not partial attendance), I confided in them, four days from announcement that I did not propose to lead the Party in any further national election. The last instance in which I led the Party was in the June 2003 Local Government Elections which was overwhelmingly victorious for the JLP, a good point for departure. I further advised them that since a new leader and team would have to lead the Party in the 2006 Local Government Elections, I considered it necessary to allow sufficient time for the new leader to consolidate his team. This meant that there should be a new leader for the Party for the year 2005. As a consequence, I would be retiring from the leadership of the JLP at the upcoming conference in November 2004. This is my position as of today and I so inform you accordingly.
Because it appears that this information may become public before July 18, when the next Central Executive meeting is held, I propose to notify the media of my decision now in order to ensure that it will be publicised with accuracy.
Yours truly,
Edward Seaga
c.c. Mr. Karl Samuda, MP
General Secretary, JLP
