Orville W. TaylorAAH! FINALLY we know the date when P.J. "fly the gate" and vacate. A poll says it's too late, and he should relocate. The installation of Portia he must immediately 'faci'litate'.
Burchell Whiteman, Minister of Information and long-time friend of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, was understandably peeved that The Gleaner commissioned a poll, which showed that the public wants him to depart forthwith and Portia Simpson Miller to take office immediately.
While I am inclined to agree with him that such a poll was not really necessary, P.J. has noone to blame but the blind man in the mirror who must have realised that a two-year announcement and waiting period was inordinately long.
Portia on the other hand is wasting no time and informed the nation that she will swear in her Cabinet on March 31, just 24 hours after her own inauguration. Even now she is behaving prime ministerially as she successfully intervened in the dispute between bauxite company Windalco and People's National Party (PNP)-affiliated union, the National Workers' Union (NWU).
ELECTION MODE
In the meantime, the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has set itself in election mode and media favourite Mayor Desmond McKenzie warned some of his colleague Labourites that she will be difficult to beat, and "heads will roll" in his party if officers are not up to the challenge. One casualty seems to be the Member of Parliament for North East St. Catherine, who, despite sounding like a U Roy classic DJ song, is not having a "Daboub, Dabdoub dabba day!"
As they hurry to replace him, there is appearance of a green light in the east and the caretaker has been displaced in dramatic fashion. Although the new JLP 'candidate- in-waiting' for Western Portland has been described as maligned by rumours, there are still clouds in public opinion surrounding him. So, I honestly believe that he won't make a 'Vaz' difference in the JLP's electoral fortunes.
Nonetheless, as we struggle with the challenges of nationhood, I am growing weary of the wavering and ambivalence in our leadership across all spectrums. Inasmuch as I laud the settlement of the Windalco dispute, I have to ask why the leadership of the NWU could not have taken the initiative and given enough respect to the Labour Minister. Is there another agenda given that Labour Minister Horace Dalley was a Peter Phillips supporter but he is close to an NWU vice-president and presidential hopeful? On the other hand, it is well known that another set of NWU bigwigs are very close to Portia.
I am not suggesting that this is an attempt to make Portia look good because she has proven her mettle as Labour Minister. Rather, I think that the lack of support and disrespect that some elements in the NWU gave to Dalley and the ministry is suspicious and repugnant. Perhaps it has to do with another imminent race for succession in the union. Whatever it is, the public interest and the welfare of workers are too important to be used in games of power. Thankfully, Sister P is putting a lid on things.
NO POLICY
Still, there are more areas to be addressed. A recent survey was conducted regarding HIV/AIDS and the workplace. It revealed that 62 per cent of companies surveyed have no policy on the subject and that 13 per cent of them indicated that they would not hire HIV-positive workers.
The scientific merit of the survey is meaningless because the sample is much too small given that only 23 firms were studied. However, it does point to inconsistent government and corporate policies.
First of all, we have a Government and an Opposition who speak about non-discrimination against persons with HIV. In regard to these persons the U.N. and its organs including the International Labour Organisation are unambiguous that persons should not be screened for HIV as a requirement for employment.
With female unemployment being twice that of males and women becoming infected with HIV faster than men, it is a woman's crisis.
Some compliant countries in CARICOM such as the Bahamas make it illegal to discriminate and to ask questions. Yet, our government is pussyfooting in passing the legislation that outlaws the practice. Even more curious is a Minister of Health, who despite his name, is a senior member of the Cabinet who seems to be advocating compulsory testing. Compulsory testing and non-discrimination are incompatible!
Then, there is an Opposition- endorsed Charter of Rights which enforces the right to privacy. This could therefore allow persons to lock themselves in at home without fear that government agents will enter their abodes, thereby discovering that they are carrying out a 'kinky fling'.
NEW STATUTE
Yet, both the Government and Opposition have agreed upon a new statute that will allow the police to wiretap one's phones without a court order. Well, tell me if I am a fool or what! Suppose a person is at home with his or her HIV-positive spouse and they are talking on the phone to their doctor about anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs. Doesn't he or she have the right to not have anyone know about it? Suppose the employer feels that person is involved in defrauding the company and then gets the police to bug the phones. What would the employer do with this information? Enough talk; act now, please!
This is one of the immediate challenges for the incoming Prime Minister. Perhaps because she is a woman she will understand the issue of privacy better than we men do. After all, how can you expect policies that are sensitive to women when the minister responsible for women's affair, despite his voice being soft like mine, is a man?
Dr. Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
