THE EDITOR, Sir:IT IS unfortunate that as the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) struggles to rebuild itself its leader has come forth and made utterances which are not, at least now, in the best interest of his party.
After all, as leader, he does have a right to ask who the donors are. As leader, he does have a right to receive a list of these names. But, as leader, does he have right to make his request in this manner? The jury is still out.
Whether or not he is justified in his request, this latest public display is yet another firestorm which threatens to scorch the party's recent gains.
Admittedly, someone near and dear to him has been defeated, and the shrewd politician and domino player that he is, I am sure he is reading the game for its possibilities and potential - as such this is not the time to panic. It is a time to plan.
Plan to fully regenerate the party; plan to fully incorporate the new energy bubbling beneath the surface into the mainstream of the party; plan to make the party once again an attractive alternative to a disenchanted population.
Against this background, as the party fine-tunes its senior management positions, the pending contest between Bruce and Audley is going to be such a bittersweet process for the party. If Audley loses then the "talk" will be if he cannot win the chairmanship how can he then hope for leadership.
If Bruce wins, his return to the party will be solidified and by extension giving him a strong(er) foothold from which to launch his leadership ambitions.
I would suggest that Audley withdraws and allow Bruce to continue the contest. Both men would then be in very senior positions from which they can later launch progressive campaigns for leadership. At the same time the party and the public would have an excellent opportunity to watch and to weigh the substance of these two individuals.
To Messrs. Shaw and Golding- power is not always vested in the title or the position you hold. Admittedly, ones title does give legal leverage. But real power comes with an understanding of the power of politics and the politics of power. Both men, have the capacity to lead, but they must also find the capacity to listen, for the short term, during the period leading up to their party's internal elections.
I am, etc.,
PETER BARNES
winstonjam@yahoo.com
Philadephia, PA
Via Go-Jamaica
