Peter Espeut | An election without issues

I am already tired of the election jingles, posturing and propaganda. So far, the campaigns of the two political parties lack substance; what we are being served is the usual circus, albeit somewhat toned down due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Pre-COVID-19, the police were unable or unwilling to prevent campaign revellers hanging out of buses, and not one person was ever arrested. Currently, images of thousands of persons – both leaders and followers – on the campaign trail breaching COVID-19 regulations may be seen on television and social media daily, but I bet that not one person will be arrested.

COVID-19 infections and deaths in the USA spiked sharply after the George Floyd protests, and in Trinidad & Tobago after their open election campaign. Does anyone want to take a bet about how many new cases and deaths Jamaica will suffer during and after this raging campaign season?

The usual bits of green and orange cloth nailed to utility poles are already to be seen. During this silly season, the Road Traffic Act and other laws of Jamaica – including the Anti-Litter Act – are suspended.

All the polls show the ruling party way ahead on the popular vote, with the opposition trailing by double digits; how this translates into seat count remains to be seen; several local tussles may produce surprising results, but the overall trend indicates a resounding victory for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), not because of what is in their manifesto (for this election is not about issues or substance), but because their opponents do not present themselves as being a viable alternative.

PLACING ADVERTISEMENTS

Several government departments and ministries are placing advertisements in the mass media crowing about their recent achievements. Others have done this before. Is this a legal use of public money in an election campaign? But who cares.

I can well understand that with COVID-19 cases increasing, with increasing pressure from powerful tourism interests to further open the economy, and with US presidential elections looming in November, there could be an urgency to get the elections over with.

But surely the Jamaican electorate are owed more by the JLP and the PNP. Are there substantive issues at stake in this election, or is it all about personalities – Andrew vs Peter?

Are both parties wedded to the idea of controlling inflation rather than controlling the deterioration in the exchange rate? Will both go back to the IMF?

Is either party willing to deal seriously with political corruption? Who will make nepotism and cronyism illegal? Who will support public declaration of assets by politicians?

Will one party be more friendly towards bauxite mining in the Cockpit Country? Who will support and fund marine parks and protected areas?

This 2020 general election looks to be the least ideological of all the elections since independence, and the least driven by policy issues. Both parties appear identical in ideology, and seem to stand for the same things, or rather, seem to stand for nothing much, other than gaining power.

I predict that the turnout will again be the lowest in our history, and, as I have said before, it is my opinion that Peter Phillips will be the first leader of a major Jamaican political party never to become prime minister.

Otherwise, not much can be expected to change. Inequality will increase, and accountability for public malfeasance will decrease.

Peter Espeut is an environmentalist and development scientist. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.