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Lambert Brown, Guest ColumnistTHE RECENT contribution to the sectoral debate by young Andrew Gallimore, the Member of Parliament for West Rural St. Andrew has caused quite a stir in some quarters. He spoke about how Air Jamaica lost nearly $52.5 billion in the last 10 years under private management. He also discussed issues affecting his constituency, such as poor roads, lack of water and neglect of some schools and made the point that the $52.5 billion lost at Air Jamaica which taxpayers will have to cover, could have gone a far way in tackling the problems of his constituency in particular and Jamaica in general. Most surprisingly and highly unusual, therefore, was the criticism of Gallimore by leading members of his own party.
When I first heard the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) criticism of Gallimore, my gut feeling was that it, like the People's National Party (PNP), was sacrificing principle for expediency. Simply put, this was yet another case of the one paying the piper calling the tune. It appears that the JLP was ignoring the concerns of the ordinary people and instead was more interested in not offending actual or potential donors to its coffers. Many people with whom I have spoken have interpreted the JLP reaction as one which it is saying that the truth was less important than financial donations to the party. Having listened to the JLP officials trying to explain away their criticisms of the Gallimore speech, I am still not convinced that there is any merit in their position.
ACCUSATION OF FRACTIOUSNESS
The argument from the JLP that they have been criticised in the past for being fractious is true. Let us admit that in recent times they have done an exceptional job of managing conflicts by JLP standards. This speech was not one for which such accusation of fractiousness could be justly made, however.
Firstly, listening to the parts of the speech as played back by 'Mutty' Perkins, one can hear members of the JLP parliamentary group shouting support for the damning
critique of the Government and their appointees' role in the Air Jamaica debacle. Secondly, the speech by Andrew Gallimore, gave full support to the resolution ("#13 on the order paper") moved by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding. In fact, on at least two occasions, Gallimore specifically referred to that resolution.
The second JLP argument is that Gallimore spoke outside of his portfolio and should have waited until the party's spokesperson on transportation had made his contribution. This too, in my view, is without much merit. Gallimore never spoke to any policy position. Other JLP officials had already made comments on the sordid state of Air Jamaica. More so, go to any airport to which Air Jamaica flies and you will hear the comments of passengers. Gallimore simply reflected the sentiments of the people. The JLP should have been proud of the young man, not criticising and seeking to humble him. The JLP must be joking if it thinks that independent-minded persons will support their party if it is driven by a philosophy that says"money makes the mare gallop". There are many persons who are turned off by the high level of corruption and ineptitude of the Government but who are wavering in their support of the JLP and its new leader. These people, like the female calypsonian, prefer to 'die with their dignity' rather than kow-tow to the boss man. They are watching.
Having listened to sections of the Gallimore speech on Perkins Online, I also took the trouble to get a copy and read the 57 pages of the speech. In my opinion, it was well-researched and equally well-presented with decorum and dignity, while using to the full, the latitude that our Constitution gives our Members of Parliament to raise questions that the people want answered. This is what we should expect of our Members of Parliament, no less. Andrew Gallimore should therefore be congratulated, not ostracised.
Certainly the speech entitled 'Accountability: Understanding Our Past and Safeguarding Our Future' may have ruffled the feathers of vested interests and some of their surrogates, but it admirably defended the
interests of the people of Jamaica. Let us not forget that the PNP did the same thing to Minister Portia Simpson Miller recently. For taking the principled position of refusing to vote in support of the inadequate budget for the limping fire service, Mrs. Simpson Miller was vilified by some in her own party. She had fingers pointed in her face and suffered the indignity of being told indecent language by a colleague. Given their unprincipled stand in respect to Portia Simpson Miller, I would not be surprised if some members of the PNP were quickly on the phone making insidious calls apologising to vested interests.
PUBLIC PURSE SHOULD NOT
FUND POLITICAL PARTIES
What the Gallimore speech has done once again is to bring to the surface the question of funding of political parties. I am not one of those who believe that the public purse should fund political parties whether officially or unofficially. Jamaica is too poor to use the money of overburdened taxpayers to assuage the egos and fantasies of politicians. Public funding will not solve the problems of corruption and influence-peddling in
politics. The experience of the United States with massive public funding of political candidates is testimony of this.
What we desperately need in Jamaica are politicians who, while recognising that money is important to winning elections, also appreciate that money alone cannot win elections. If this were the case then no governing party would ever lose power, since they have access to more public funds than any private donor may wish to contribute.
Both Simpson Miller and Andrew Gallimore took the correct approach and for this they should be rewarded instead of being cowardly condemned by partisan hacks. The peoples' interest must always be superior to so-called party interest, if and whenever they clash. Being pro-business is different from being beholden to one or a few businessmen or groups of business interests.
Lambert Brown is vice-president of the University and Allied Workers Union and may be contacted at labpoyh@yahoo.com
