EDITORIAL - A time for statesmanship and mature leadership

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Tuesday | September 4, 2007

In what proved to be the tightest of election contests since Jamaica gained Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) emerged victorious last night by the narrowest of margins - 31 to 29 on the preliminary count.

We are uneasy about the tone and content of Portia Simpson Miller's address to her followers last night. Political leaders need to both show statesmanship and encourage calm and good sense, not the opposite.

There will now be final counts (these could take two or three days) of all the votes and this may produce changes to the preliminary counts. These final counts could change the count either way. They will be done under the supervision of the Electoral Commission which has demonstrated time and time again professionalism, competence and fairness. The election just completed was well run and the best organised one in our history.

After the final counts, there will be magisterial recounts - these, if done in a timely manner and without undue legal wrangling, could be completed in another three to four days. These may again vary the results.

The Governor-General will be advised of the final counts, hopefully tomorrow or the day after, and will then be required to invite someone to form the new government.

It is our view that Mrs. Simpson Miller did not act in a manner that encouraged calm and good order when speaking last night. She now needs to rectify this. Immediately after the final counts are completed, she must concede and allow the JLP to form the new government - provided there is no change in the JLP majority.

There should be no waiting for magisterial recounts. Nor can there be any waiting for the now inevitable challenges to elected representatives over possible allegiance to foreign powers. In fact, the sooner this part of the constitution is repealed the better.

Congratulations to Bruce Golding and to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) for their victory. But good leadership requires patience to allow the final counts to be completed.

The next few months are going to test the mettle of our leaders. Civic society leaders and politicians must keep cool heads and negotiate how political stability can be maintained during a period of uncertainty caused by a slim majority, these recounts and the probable legal challenges to eligibility.

Our democracy is strong. Let all energies be focussed on getting the recounts completed, a new government installed and back to dealing with crime, improved education and a higher standard of living. There is no honeymoon period offered to the new government. The spotlight is on the JLP and People's National Party leaders to show judgements designed to advance the interests of the country and not pure partisanship. Right now Mr. Golding stands ahead of Mrs. Simpson Miller.