Desmond Henry TREASURE BEACH:
The St. Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation (SEHF) is by far one of the most respected, envied and imitated community organisations serving a parish and its various communities of interest in Jamaica.
Its record of impartial conduct and unselfish behaviour has been praised, documented and emulated by many across this country. It has become the model by which other parishes and their citizens try to lift themselves to new levels of civic pride and responsibility, through a mixture of vision, reorganisation and inspired community action.
The Foundation's performance has crossed political, social, secular and civic lines in consulting and designing programmes of mutual reward and recognition for the parish and its citizens. It has become a centre for dedicated, non-partisan responsible action.
When therefore, it invited under its auspices all 10 electoral candidates (JLP 4: PNP 4; NDM/NJA 2) in St. Elizabeth to a joint public signing of a special Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) of ways to guide political conduct and citizen contact in the election campaign, there was immediate agreement by all to participate. Not only that. The event would take place at a civilised face-to-face function, where representative groups from the parish would be given an opportunity to question each candidate on their personal and party's position on issues affecting the parish and people of St. Elizabeth. It was to be like a well managed town hall meeting with all candidates present. It would have melded naturally with the grand bipartisan tradition of the Homecoming Foundation.
With this in mind, and with the prior concurrence of all concerned to be present, the Foundation invited a representative sampling of the parish's public, private and community leadership to a signing ceremony last Friday at the Invercauld Hotel in Black River. Present were the directors of the SEHF, responsible business and community leaders, students and faculty from the parish's leading educational institutions, the clergy, the media and public commentators, four candidates for the Jamaica Labour Party and one from the National Democratic Alliance. To everyone's surprise and eventual disgust there was no one from the People's National Party. Neither was there an apology, regret nor explanation.
Many wondered whether there might have been a miscommunication mix-up, but the Foundation's executive director George Watson informed that he too was surprised by the bloc no-show, since he had been assured of their participation. After hearing that, the near 100-person attendance made no attempt to hide their collective mood of anger, disgust and sense of betrayal. But even with all that, the occasion was stupendous.
Consultative parishioner Trevor Hamilton presented a computerised outline of the foundation's seven-year development which he and consulting others had put together to help guide the parish in its development over the next ensuring years. In many respects it matched, but also exceeded, elements of the IADB-funded Haleron South Coast Development Plan which has been sitting with the government, going on seven years now. The Foundation's plans enunciates a number of far-reaching development programmes including:
Redevelopment and restoration of Black River, its hospital and facilities as a legitimate heritage town.
Development of a modern fishing complex at Treasure Beach.
An agricultural marketing and processing complex in Santa Cruz.
Development of Malvern as a major educational centre including distance learning and the establishment of off-shore campuses by overseas universities.
Developing Holland Bamboo as an exclusive tourism park, with an alternative parallel public highway.
Following that presentation, the candidates were invited to formally sign the MOU and introduce themselves and their thoughts to the gathering. The combination of the formal presentation and the candidates' introduction, sparked one of the liveliest and most dignified exchanges I have ever witnessed in community dialoguing.
Especially keen and interested were the students from Hampton, Bethlehem, St. Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS), Black River High and others. The ineffectiveness of some of the present parish leadership and the inspiring role of the Parish Council came in for blunt frankness. JLP candidates Sangster, Hutchinson, Perriel and Whitter promised increased and enlarged representational roles especially in the key areas of markets for farmers, infrastructural development, medical facilities, fairer tax codes and pre-education for the young. So too did Earl Powell of the NDM.
PERSONALLY INSULTED
Now, it could be that the PNP candidates may have had legitimate reasons for boycotting the event, in which case common decency would suggest that they could at least have informed their host. On the face of what transpired however, it is hard to imagine what could have caused their mass withdrawal. On the other hand, if you let someone know of your planned group no-show beforehand that really wouldn't be a boycott, would it? When all was done, however, speaker after speaker thanked the Homecoming Foundation for the unique opportunity to meet and exchange with the candidates, and held no punches about their hurt at the absence of the PNP candidates. One floor member said he felt "personally insulted."
The 2 1/2 hour session left many wondering if other parishes are going to be as lucky as St. Bess in having similar kinds of exchanges before election day. Come to think of it, they might even be luckier. They might have all their candidates showing up.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Many who are perceived to be brave, are no more than cowards afraid to withdraw.
Desmond Henry is a marketing strategist based in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth.
