PATTERSON AND GOLDING
THE GOVERNMENT and the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) have decided to team up to tackle several pertinent issues likely to affect the country's governance.
The first meeting of the resumed bi-partisan leadership talks between the government and opposition took place yesterday morning at Vale Royal, the prime minister's official residence.
A joint press statement last night said the meeting discussed a wide range of issues, including public order, constituency funding, a national strategy for the health sector, financing of political parties, constitutional and parliamentary reform, and the fight against crime.
Hosted by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, the meeting which was also attended by Senator Bruce Golding, leader of the Jamaica Labour Party and Opposition Leader, Dr. Ken Baugh, agreed that now, more than ever, there was the need for as much consensus building as was compatible with a vibrant two-party parliamentary democracy.
SUB-COMMITTEES
There was agreement on the persons to lead and constitute sub-committees to deal with the specific agenda areas for consideration.
Both parties agreed that the National Task Force Monitoring Committee would receive consistent support from the Opposition in its efforts to ensure compliance with decisions.
The meeting agreed that the general secretaries of both parties, MP Karl Samuda and Senator Burchell Whiteman, would have discussions on the financing of political parties and would also examine ways of ensuring that political leadership distanced itself from persons of questionable character.
Prime Minister Patterson and the JLP Leader agreed on a process led by the two general secretaries in support of a return to national civility, using the mechanisms of the Values and Attitudes programme, and incorporating character based education.
The opposition agreed to conclude its review of the options for areas of constitutional reform and to share them with the government within the next three months. There was also agreement as to the legislative mechanism to be adopted to facilitate Jamaica's participation in the inauguration of the Caribbean Court of Justice in April.
Prime Minister Patterson indicated that there were significant areas of constitutional reform to be discussed including the Charter of Rights, the implications of retaining the death penalty and the issue of republican status.
The government team included Ministers Dr. Peter Phillips, Dr. Omar Davies, Burchell Whiteman, A.J Nicholson and Donald Buchanan while the opposition was also represented by Derrick Smith, Horace Chang, James Robertson, and Audley Shaw.
The next meeting of the leadership teams will take place in the month of May.
