The Jamaican electorate grows up

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Sunday | August 5, 2007

Kevin O'Brien Chang, Contributor

When Jamaica started electing leaders in 1944, most of the populace was probably illiterate, there was only one national newspaper, and there was no radio or television. Those who did not attend political meetings often knew nothing about constituency candidates except their name and party. No wonder leaders joked that people would vote for a PNP or JLP donkey as candidate.

Now we have about 20 radio stations, three national television stations, three national daily newspapers, two national weekly newspapers, and many local papers and cable channels. A diligent media competing vigorously for eyeballs and ears, digs up any information that might give them an edge on rivals. Politicians still keep trying to run, but it's becoming increasingly impossible to hide.

Cases in point

The Universal Access Fund and Solutrea cellular licence affairs are excellent cases in point. Stonewall and dodge as he might, Information and Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell was run to ground by Cliff Hughes and his Nationwide team. Though Clive Mullings must also be commended for acting as a member of her majesty's loyal Opposition is supposed to, namely protecting the national purse with as much indignation and energy as can be mustered.

Most media houses were inexplicably silent on the issue. But the world-class Mr. Hughes, and he has an Emmy to prove it, pursued the matter with dogged relentlessness. The return of a national licence granted in a clearly unsatisfactory manner was a triumph for a free and unfettered media. Let's hope the rest of the press will now stay hot on the scent and help bring to book all those involved in what seems a blatant instance of attempted rape of the Jamaican taxpayer.

Surely, the mere return of the licence cannot be enough. That would be like a man attempting to rob a bank and getting caught and just returning the money and walking away scot free. Somebody has to resign. Or at least this would be the case in any self-respecting democracy. But then we have a Government where someone was forced to step down as Minister of Information yet allowed to still serve as a senator, and a media that tolerate this.

Why is it that in so many scandals - Netserv, Trafigura, Solutrea and too many others to recall - we see the same set of people involved? And why do they get away every time with nothing more than a mumbled apology or half resignation? It seems the only way we taxpayers will ever see the back of the dodgy duo is to vote out the entire administration. To paraphrase Bob Marley, how long shall they waste our money while we stand aside and look?

Absolved of wrongdoing

To add insult to injury, the August 1 Gleaner reported that "a Cabinet review team, set up to investigate the awarding of a telecoms licence to Solutrea Jamaica Limited, on Monday absolved Technology Minister PhillipPaulwell of any wrongdoing in the matter … The review team was comprised of [Information Minister Donald] Buchanan, Paulwell, Dr. Jean Dixon, Permanent Secretary in the Technology Ministry, and Dr. Carlton Davis, Cabinet Secretary." So a jury of Mr. Paulwell and his colleagues and employees found Mr. Paulwell innocent. And we the public are supposed to be reassured by this? Talk about showing contempt for the intelligence of the Jamaican electorate.

Incidentally, cynics say the delay in the Woolmer commission report is rather predictable. After all, they argue, this commission was just a way to put this extremely embarrassing issue out of public sight till after the election, which was then widely expected in July. At a very minimum, the report must highlight the pathetic state of our forensics department, and once more show how inexplicably lax the Government is on giving our criminal investigators the proper equipment. But since the election date has been pushed back till the end of August, sceptics are not surprised that "more time was needed to examine the related documents". Will the commission's report be published before August 27? I'm not holding my breath.

All this nonsense makes the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) manifesto's focus on governance reform seem very timely indeed. It is by no means a perfect document, being fuzzy about funding free health and education. And other than increasing the commissioner's powers, it said little new on crime. It even ignored issues the JLP has previously trumpeted, such as bringing back hanging. And whatever happened to last year's much vaunted MacMillan Crime Report?

Why are both parties paying such little attention to what every poll says is the number one problem facing the country? It's incredible that the Opposition is virtually sidestepping the one issue which the Government cannot defend. No administration which has presided over a 300 per cent increase in murders from 429 in 1989 to 1,250 in 2006 can claim to have done an adequate job. But all Mr. Goldingcould say was, "There is no magic bullet to solve crime".

That said, the JLP manifesto was, on the whole, a very attractive document. One idea that jumped out was the mega-agency that would fast-track investment within 90 days. Another was the call for a special prosecutor - no more mongooses guarding fowl coops! And sanctions for breaches of the political code of conduct is something the public has been clamouring for.

Distinguishing aspect

What truly distinguishes this manifesto is its pledge to lessen the powers of the governing party. Foremost is a proposed requirement that appointment to sensitive posts such as Chief Justice, President of the Court of Appeal, Director of Public Prosecutions, Public Defender, Contractor General, Judicial Services Commission, Police Services Commission, Public Services Commission and Governor of the Bank of Jamaica have to be approved by a two-thirds majority in each House of Parliament, thereby requiring consensus between the Government and the Opposition. If Mr. Golding is elected and accomplishes nothing else except this, Jamaica would be in his eternal debt. Increased transparency in the selection of important officials must lead to an increase in honesty and competence at the expense of cronyism.

Now Bruce Golding has his critics, and I have, at times, been among them. But since leaving the JLP to form the National Democratic Movement, he has repeatedly espoused the same basic principle, that Jamaica cannot progress until there is a fundamental transformation of governance. Whether one agrees or not, and while most of his ideas sound good, I'm no fan of presidential models of any sort, one must give him credit for consistency. Through all the disparagement and abuse, the man has resolutely stuck to his guns, and you cannot but admire such steadfastness.

Non-violence track

He also deserves applause for keeping his party on the non-violence track. All untoward incidents by Labourite supporters have been quickly condemned, and no JLP officer has been guilty of using aggressive language on the platform.

Some still dismiss Mr. Golding as an 'uncharismatic technocrat who can't connect with the masses'. And no doubt there are still many 'rockstone' orange and green diehards out there. But the Jamaican electorate is growing up and focusing on issues to an unprecedented degree.

Sceptics scoff at manifestos, but in a recent television poll 94 per cent of respondents said that yes, they do pay attention to manifestos. TV discussions between candidates that let viewers judge character and ideas for themselves are being discussed in taxi cabs. And the upcoming leadership debates will likely be watched by a majority of the Jamaican electorate.

Sadly, a murderous garrison mentality still exists in a few pockets, a mindset too often inflamed by confrontational language and attitudes from leadership platforms. Yet, the scenes of jubilant Labourites and Comrades embracing each other in formerly hard-core Spanish Town show a bright future. We not there yet, but maybe we not so far away as we think.