EVEN THE most hardened cynic would be hard-pressed to craft the script for the Jamaica Labour Party's continuing ugly internecine fighting.
Reports earlier yesterday suggested that a rapprochement had been reached between the Pearnel Charles and Bruce Golding camps, with general secretary, Karl Samuda acting as go-between. Under the terms of the agreement, Mr. Charles, a contender for leader of the party would abort his court action on the understanding that a compromise on the makeup of the delegates list which will be used to elect the new leader had been reached.
Any optimism emanating from those earlier reports were scuttled late yesterday with the calling of an emergency meeting of the party's Standing Committee. It now appears that Senator Bruce Golding, the other contender for leader, and/or his supporters are unhappy with the terms of the agreement. In effect Mr. Samuda is being hauled over the coals, allegedly for "acting unilaterally" without the blessing of the Standing Committee.
It would be somewhat bizarre if Mr. Samuda, a seasoned politician and senior officer of the party, acted without some clear understanding of the positions of the two camps. Additionally, his actions and utterances to date would suggest his sympathies are more aligned to Mr. Golding's. So it is reasonable to assume that he would not be acting against Mr. Golding's interests.
While the details had still to be worked out, it appeared from the earlier reports that Mr. Charles' position on the issue of the list had been, in many important aspects, accepted by the party hierarchy, hence his withdrawing his challenge in the courts.
Is it that egoism has now trumped pragmatism?
Whether or not Mr. Charles' apparent victory will turn out to be a Pyrrhic one remains to be seen for it could be that, regardless of how the list is constituted, Senator Golding may emerge victorious because delegates feel that Mr. Charles, in pressing his case so aggressively, has brought the party into further disrepute. Whatever the ultimate outcome, a negotiated settlement holds much more promise for the restoration of some political balance to a system which is vital for democratic governance in Jamaica.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
