Barbara Ellington, Senior Gleaner Writer
For the Most Hon. Carla Seaga, the curtain came down on her role as wife of the Opposition leader, last week Wednesday at midnight.
Wives of politicians do not have the luxury of the private family life enjoyed by many married couples. But it is a choice they make and as she ended this chapter in her life, Mrs. Seaga shared her reflections with The Sunday Gleaner.
What she is looking forward to most of all, is moving forward to embrace the change instead of
fearing it. "This has not come as a surprise; we have been working towards it. There are many ways to serve Jamaica and we will now be doing it on a different level," she said.
Mrs. Seaga told The Sunday Gleaner that in her nine years of marriage to Mr. Seaga, she has had the opportunity to watch him always put Jamaica above everything else. "To me he's always been a statesman and not just a labourite but his new role will give him the opportunity to do that."
So how will she adjust to the change?
"My focus was never one-dimensional. I have been grounded in what's simple and what I call my "three F" formula: faith, family and friends, so I will embrace this change, thank God for it and use my talents to work on new things that will use my skills in management and research," she said.
A mother of one infant daughter, Mrs. Seaga was candid about the lack of personal family time for a woman in her position. Daughter Gabrielle, is getting "very smart very quickly" and although she will not be pushing her too hard, she will not hold her back when time comes for pre-school later this year. So the departure from a heavy
public schedule is a blessing in
disguise.
And will she miss the rigours and excitement of public life and the eagerness with which she embraced the political hustings?
MANY WAYS TO SERVE
With degrees in management and sociology, Mrs. Seaga said she understood what her husband was doing and was enthusiastic about his approach, so it was easy to be beside him and share in what he did.
"To a certain extent, I will miss it. I love his approach to things and admire his unconditional love for Jamaica. I am not just his wife, I've had experience in public administration in the past but there are many ways to serve and in that regard, it's easy to move on."
On the question of regrets, Mrs. Seaga said if one loves Jamaica as much as her husband and herself do, "Yes, I wish we could have served more but in Opposition you don't get to do much. You have the skills to participate but you are not used. I am sorry we did not get a chance to implement more of his ideas but as the Opposition you only have the chance to speak about doing it better."
In the '80s, Mrs. Seaga ex-plained, she got some opportunity to be hands-on but now she said she would have another opportunity to serve in other ways and her
husband will focus on being the statesman he is.
The Sunday Gleaner sought to ascertain whether Mrs. Seaga had encouraged her husband to demit office but she said when the subject came up, she listened and gave him the space to as it was his call. "Once he made up his mind, I was behind him. I love the man, not the office," she said.
If Mrs. Lorna Golding became the wife of the Opposition leader and asked her advice on how to proceed in the position, what would that advice be? Without missing a beat, Mrs. Seaga said, "Hold on to your faith and say a prayer for
guidance before you start each day." (Mrs. Golding is wife of Bruce Golding, Mr. Seaga's
successor in the West Kingston constituency).
With the discord, rancour and ill-feelings that prevailed in the JLP over the last several months, how did she feel and how did she cope?
Mrs. Seaga said she held steadfastly to her three-F formula and was guided by her principles when the clamour was loudest. She said life is simple but it is people who complicate matters with their own agendas instead of being focused on the important things.
"My husband taught me to remain focused and centred; he's the strongest human being I know."
CONSTITUENCY PROJECTS
During her years as wife of the leader of the Opposition, Mrs. Seaga was involved in many community outreach projects and she told The Sunday Gleaner that she would be continuing her work with the Social Support Fund for victims of violence. She revealed that the programme had now gone beyond the boundaries of the constituency so she would continue to give it her focus in the future.
