Beverley Anderson-Manley
THE GOVERNMENT and the Opposition are gearing up for what promises to be a very interesting and challenging general election campaign. As they make the necessary adjustments to ensure that their party message occupy the dominant space in the minds of the approximately 1.4 million voters, it is necessary to remind ourselves that the placing of these messages has to be seen within the context of an Opposition that has been out of office since 1989 - 17 long years spread out across four consecutive electoral terms. Hence, many of the new voters - born, for example in 1988 - have never seen a JLP administration in office. Their only experience of governance is that of the PNP.
Also of importance is the fact that when a party has been in office for that length of time, inertia, fatigue, rigidity and inflexibility can set in.
Meanwhile, the JLP is desperate to sit on the other side of the Gordon House aisle and to exercise power so that Jamaica can see what it is capable of. After 17 years, has the JLP's time come?
ALONG COMES PORTIA
After 17 years in office and the retirement of former Prime Minister Patterson and what is being called the ascendancy of the grass roots, charismatic Portia Simpson Miller, the PNP is hoping for a renewal within its own party even as it is aware of the ongoing disunity arising out of the leadership race. The situation in the PNP has to be watched carefully. Simpson Miller cannot win the general election on her own, in spite of the fact that she has enormous popularity among PNP and some JLP members. In the end, it is the seat count that determines who wins. The popularity of the party leader definitely helps but on-the-ground work, particularly in the several marginal seats, must be the focus of both campaigns.
PORTIA'S 'POOR-PEOPLE' IMAGE
In his second Budget speech as Opposition Leader, presented in the Parliament last Thursday, Bruce Golding went for the jugular as he launched what can be termed the JLP election campaign, clearly setting out the election manifesto. In addressing most of his remarks to the Prime Minister, he reminded the public that "... incoming Prime Ministers are often confronted with what they have inherited ... This Prime Minister cannot speak of what she has inherited. She has been part of a government that has been in office for the last 17 years ... therefore what confronts her is not what she has inherited; it is what she has helped to create ..."
In addition, Bruce's message to the marginalised of the society - the poor people of this country - is clear. Poor people need a chance and they would stand more of a chance if the Government, apart from anything else, spends taxpayers money more wisely. Referring to the proposal by the Minister of Finance to consolidate statutory deductions, Mr. Golding told the Finance Minister that this should be simply an accounting exercise and not another slush fund for the Government. He issued the following warning: "Keep your sticky hands off poor people's NIS money and Housing Trust money." The battle for poor people is on.
Bruce Golding has issued a challenge to Prime Minister Simpson Miller as he declared: "I want to help her." He then went on to say that ... "Some of the things that she has committed herself to do will take time and will require resources which will have to be created before they can be accessed. I am going to offer to help her there, too. But some of these things require little or no money and no protracted period of time. All they require is the political will! And I say to her: Let's do them!"
Are we seeing a new level of co-operation between Prime Minister and Opposition Leader? Only time will tell. Meanwhile the country waits with baited breath for Portia's first budget presentation as Prime Minister of Jamaica and in particular, her response to Bruce. Portia is a seasoned politician. In keeping with this, there may be some elements of surprise in her presentation tomorrow.
Beverley Manley is a political scientist and broadcaster. Email: BManley@kasnet.com.
