IT IS fashionable for political commentators to bemoan the fact that General Elections in Jamaica are decided on the basis of personalities, rather than with reference to the issues. This time around, the complaint remains valid most of us will cast our votes on Wednesday for the people we prefer, not for the positions we would like to see advanced over the next five years.

And this is not the end of the point. Not only will we place personalities over issues, we will also make our selection on the basis of a narrow set of personalities. Thus, even though we may have excellent constituency representatives listed before us on the ballot paper, most of us will look beyond the names for the party leaders defending the head, the bell, the lighthouse and so on. In short, as Bustamante and Stone emphasised in different ways, we will vote presidentially even though we have a prime ministerial system.

What prompts us to disregard the theory that we are expected to vote for constituency representatives, and to opt instead to vote directly for party leaders? One possible answer is that we are encouraged by the political parties to do just that. Consider the advertisements that have now taken over the airwaves. Those from the PNP camp continue to be personality-driven, and they continue to concentrate on the leadership style and presumed philosophy of the JLP leader.

RELEASING RECORDS

From the PNP perspective, Mr Seaga is a don so described by Karl Samuda, in the language of "cock mout killing cock". And there is contrast: not only do some PNP advertisements present Mr. Seaga as the source of much darkness in our political culture, others highlight the notion that the PNP leader is quite the opposite. Hence Mr Patterson "no inna no mix up mix up, and rumour-mongering".

At the same time, too, Mr Patterson has astutely released both his medical and financial records the former to respond to suggestions that he is not physically fit for the job, the latter to counter a whispering campaign in some circles. As he does this, some lieutenants then go on the counter-offensive, asking for Mr Seaga's medical records (when there has been no clear issue concerning Mr Seaga's health), and for his financial records (when only the ostrich is unaware that Mr Seaga has serious financial problems).

To be fair, JLP advertisements have been less strident on the personality point than those emanating from the PNP this time around. But there is a view that you must get your pound of personality flesh, so the JLP also plays the game. The misleading My Way advertisement which now thankfully has been withdrawn exemplifies this perspective, and if you read the main newspapers, you will find a clear attempt to link Mr Patterson to various scandals without presentation of evidence. Also, Mr Patterson may reasonably argue that he has in the recent past been subjected to personal vilification, with the attacks during the North East St. Ann by-election uppermost in his mind.

THE GREAT NON-DEBATE

So, the personality issue is thrust upon us through advertisements. But it was also brought to the fore during the National Non-Debate last Wednesday. It may be too harsh to regard the Non-Debate as a fiasco, for it was better to have the Non-Debate than to have no public exchange between the party leaders; that said, however, you must wonder why both leaders opted so consistently to ignore the questions posed.

On my mental score-sheet, Mr Seaga started strongly precisely because he was prepared to attempt straight answers in the beginning. In contrast, Mr Patterson had a prepared set of responses, and was determined to present them no matter what question presented itself. Then, perhaps realising that this was Mr Patterson's strategy, Mr Seaga also followed that line; in so doing, he placed himself at a disadvantage, for Mr Seaga is not naturally given to waffling and "fogging". The result was for me a dead heat, with Mr Patterson scoring significant points near the end with his carefully placed references to the Golding MOU and to words about weaknesses in the JLP leadership structure taken from Golding's mouth.

The Non-Debate will remain a near-fiasco until the organisers act more firmly. First, the party leaders should have no veto on the panellists: a list of all interested persons with established credentials for public commentary should be prepared, and the final participants should be randomly selected. Second, the format should allow the panellists to exchange views with the participants. Messrs Patterson and Seaga were asked last week to identify the strengths of their opponent: Mr Seaga tried a backhanded compliment, while Mr Patterson seemed not to have heard the question. And yet, the panellists had to sit in silence in the face of such nonsense.

But back to the personality issue. It may well be that the parties concentrate on personalities because this is what the market will entertain. The party manifestos are loaded with serious ideas for discussion, but, no more than a handful of people could be expected to comb through these documents. Moreover, even when issues such as education, health care, violence, human rights, the economy and corruption are brought to the fore, one has the distinct impression that many people remain cynical about particular proposals to address them. And, if the cynicism runs too deep, then there may not be much point in pontificating as to proposals, for, perhaps, no one is really listening.

In the end, though, the leaders may need to remember that personalities and issues run together. The reason for the cynicism that has come to prevail in our politics comes right back to personality: the vessels for the presentation of policy positions are often weak, barefaced or hypocritical, and sometimes they combine all three faults in substantial measure.

Against this background, the uncommitted voter is left with the option of just going with his or her gut feeling. Which of these people strike me as the most honest, or least dishonest? Which of these people will offer the best management skills for the tasks at hand? And which of these people will conduct the affairs of state without becoming arrogant and tyrannical?

Bell, head, lighthouse, or other, I hope we can get through the next few days without violence -- and that the uncommitted voters of Jamaica will vote sensibly.

About this writer
Stephen Vasciannie is Professor of International Law at the University of the West Indies.