The real general election campaign has only just begun and the tendency for it to degenerate into a carnival of motorcades, personal abuse and worse is already far advanced. It is the duty of both political parties to scotch this tendency immediately. But they must go further. They must ensure that the campaign focuses on the real issues facing the Jamaican people so that an informed choice can be made come August 27. This is why a series of rational political debates between the two political leaders - the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition - would be so fruitful.

In this connection, we must express concern about the delay in the publication of the manifesto of the People's National Party. Even if the PNP was unable to produce a document at the same time as the Opposition, one would have expected it to have seen the light of day by now. The PNP manifesto was promised for Tuesday of this week. But now it seems that there are to be further delays and it may not arrive before next Thursday.

Given that the PNP has been the governing party for 18 years with a clear policy line, we find these delays inexplicable. It gives the unfortunate impression, no doubt unintended, that, either there is division in the camp, or worse, that the governing party prefers an election campaign which is focused on personalities and melodrama rather than on the really serious issues which the country faces.

The PNP may well retort that better late than never, and that the delay is due to a very opposite reason: they are taking the time to ensure that their policy proposals are well thought out and feasible. But this raises another, even more serious issue.

Whatever one may think of the JLP manifesto, there can be little doubt that it is a serious document based upon hard data and a careful analysis of the problems which the country faces. It commits the JLP to very specific policies for which they can be held accountable. This provides a real basis for the population to make an informed political choice, whatever that choice may be. It is not a token screed presented as a purely public relations exercise only to be summarily discarded.

It would be sad indeed, if after all these delays, the PNP mountain labours merely to produce a mouse. This would be a grave insult to the intelligence of the Jamaican people. The entire point of publishing a manifesto is defeated if what is produced is merely a porridge of ill-digestible points. Manifestos must have substance, or not be done at all.

The real challenge facing the PNP, therefore, is not simply to speedup the process of publishing a token manifesto. They must ensure that they too produce a quality document. Such a document will provide the basis for rational debate at every level of the political system instead of the provocative frivolity which is in danger of becoming the order of the day.

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