- Norman GrindleyGordon House - a symbol of Jamaica's democracy.
Anthony Woodburn, Contributor
MOST Jamaicans are of the opinion that our political system/system of Government has failed us miserably. As a mark of protest, some emigrated, some adopted a passive attitude, some formed pressure groups while others formed political parties hoping to bring about reforms to the political system. Ironically, these newly formed political parties and pressure groups are operating in, and have been facilitated by the same political system they are seemingly discontented with.
A political system is one which seeks to identify and satisfy the demands of its citizens as best as possible. Its mandate is to maximise the utilisation of all resources including natural, human and material in order to arrive at the society's desired goals. It operates within the confines of the constitution, that is, the supreme law of the land, with due consideration for treaties, conventions and international relations. Also, for the protection of its citizens' rights, freedom and liberties.
The Jamaican political system is by no means autonomous, it is answerable to the constitution. J. Dennis Derbyshire, et al, 1991, defined a constitution thus. "A Constitution is a document or a set of documents describing the framework of a political system. It stipulates where power lies within a state, what the institutions of government are, how they are constructed, and how they are intended to be operated. In doing so, it provides what might be said to be a set of rules for politicians in a "particular country to follow: what offices they can hold, how they get to office, what they can do and not do in office, how laws are made, how they are enforced, how disputes between citizens and the state are resolved."
MONOPOLY
A Constitution does not recognise by name any political party within a democracy, for example, the Jamaican constitution does not recognise by name the People's National Party (PNP) nor does it recognise by name The Right Honourable P.J. Patterson as Prime Minister of Jamaica. Instead, it recognises the Office of the Prime Minister and that of the Leader of Opposition. In other words, no political party has a monopoly on the institutions of government within our political system. importantly though, it embraces the competitive political party rivalry.
Our political system includes the process of enumeration, the electoral system, the competitive political party system - ours being First Past The Post (FPTP), the House of Representatives, the Senate, the administrative bureaucracy, the elderly, the indigent and the private sector. Basically, our political system captures all citizens and activities in just two groups, the public sector and the private sector. Every citizen is either a member of the public sector, the private sector or a member of the both groups.
Each nation has either adapted, adopted or created a system of government that is intuitively logical, consistent and compatible with its citizens' socio-politico-economic, cultural and environmental needs. Naturally, different political systems exist throughout the world today. These include parliamentary, presidential, semi-parliamentary, semi-presidential and centrally planned systems. Each political system varies according to its philosophy and culture.
Contextually, Jamaicans adopted the export model of the British Westminster-Whitehall model (the WW model) at the time of our independence in 1962, this strongly suggested political independence. Proponents argued that this system also known as the parliamentary system, was best for us. Some described it as the best political system. Some articulated the view that given our relationship with Britain adopting this system was a natural transition and progress would be easy. Some pointed to the fact that with Britain having used this system for centuries, there is no reason for an emerging Third World state to question its validity and relevance no matter the impending changing circumstances.
WATERED DOWN SYSTEM
Critics on the other hand expressed the notion that because the British had interests in Jamaica, it became an imperative for them to impose their watered down system on us. They also argued that this decision was for administrative convenience. Some thought the British were arrogant in saying that this system was best for us.
The pragmatists argued that the model was not home grown so it was alien to the needs of our society. It could not respond adequately to a "Jamaican" problem, hence, we continue to be ruled by a distant Government.
The existence of organised political parties is to win elections and form the Government. Each party presents its manifesto to the electorate for approval. Jamaica is divided into 60 constituencies and each returns one member to the House of Representatives, the FPTP system.
The party that wins majority constituency seats is declared the winner. The voting procedure states that the elections are supposed to be secret ballot. The right to vote although not compulsory, should be taken seriously by the electorate.
If this decision is exercised in a manner contrary to decency and civility, the succeeding Government may be characterised, through whispering, by anything other than legitimate.
The right to vote should be embraced and exercised by all who are qualified and must not be allowed to be prostituted by neither buyers, sellers nor voluntary withdrawals. This is one time when citizens must behave responsibly and participate. Also, no qualified electorate should be precluded from participating. Men and women all over the world have fought bitterly, suffered agonisingly and died tragically for the right to vote. If those that have gone on and have not found peace, could ever look back to see the marketisation of this right they have died for, they would ask the devil not to recruit any more Jamaicans...his position would be at risk.
RIGHT TO GOVERN
We all understand and know how to compete. We compete for better grades, more sales and more pay, this is good fun. But when one speaks of competitive party politics, or the right to govern a country, one is speaking of a level of competition that extends beyond the realm of rationality, decency and fair play.
Recall, "the man who plays by the rules get shafted", because, "the law is not a shackle". However, if "politics is about who gets what, when and how," then, "it will be fire for fire and blood for blood". Lest we forget, "we believe that it is in the best interest for us to form the Government, so anything and everything that will cause us to form the Government, we consider it necessary to do so".
Is that what is playing itself out in Jamaica today?
The electorate is the autonomous variable within the political system. The most important variable. The electorate decides which party governs the country. They decide the future of Jamaica and Jamaicans. Are they behaving paradoxically, unintelligently or deliberately given our present circumstances? Most electorates in Jamaica have violated the spirit of universal adult suffrage. "one man one vote, same man same vote". They have sold their votes for prices as low as an empty promise. This is shameful and pitiful and should be placed in the face of those electorates who have abdicated the hard-fought-for universal adult suffrage. This is not reinventing the wheel, and even if it were, it is not a disgrace. It is disgraceful, however, not to use the wheel after it had been invented.
I would recommend to anyone having an interest in forming a new political party to first consider the notion of educating the electorate on the importance of the right to vote. The electorate will take it from there.
Obviously, the traditional political parties will never in any serious and genuine way educate the electorate on the significance of the right to vote, and on issues of concerns. Instead, they have successfully developed what is called "hard core", or "die hard", supporters. Strategically, they will hold their "hard core" supporters tightly wrapped, aided by the "carrot and the stick" mentality. "If you are with us you will be rewarded, if you are not you will be punished".
For those who did not know, this is the competitive edge the traditional parties are having over all other pressure groups and newly formed political parties. A newly formed political party will not be able to amass a sufficiently large "hard core" support across most if not all constituencies. In other words, if new parties cannot counter this strategy by the traditional parties, reaching their objectives is an exercise in futility.
At a "carrot festival" you will find interest groups such as journalists, returning officers, the police, community leaders, dons, contractors, educators, bankers, and this list is by no means exhaustive. Here they "drink and eat carrot" until they are bursting at the seams, and you sit and wonder why you are experiencing hardships when you are either in opposition or have withdrawn from the party system. This is the practice of tribal party politics at its best.
TRIBALISED MENDICANT
If the electorate does not understand and accept the significance of the right to vote, the power of the electorate and the fact that the party system is encapsulated by the political system and not the other way around, then no other political party will ever succeed. Neither will the welfare of most Jamaican citizens considered sufficiently in the decision making process. Consequently, Jamaica will continue to be "a tribalised mendicant holding up a flag."
The traditional political parties are undoubtedly tribal in nature. This is the core element of their longevity. They have tribalised all areas of national life, which ultimately tribalised the political system/the system of Government/the WW model. Herein lies the centre of our confusion.
The only competition for state power within the political system is the competitive political party system. This involves the politicians seeking power and the electorate deciding which party should govern. Based on the arguments presented one can agree that the manner in which power is competed for, contributes both directly and indirectly to our problems. The competition is all pervasive, infectious and abusive. In the end the first past the post will be declared the winner. The winner of the competition will be all-powerful and will direct the affairs of the political system. Invariably, a political party that is successful at the polls feels compelled to reward its supporters, and each supporter is looking forward to being rewarded. This reciprocal behaviour is the formula for corruption and tribal party politics. The maxim remains true, systems don't corrupt men, men corrupt systems.
More recently the competitive political party system has descended southwards into the gutters. The gutterized political culture and political behaviour which characterised our competitive party politics is an affront to the dignity of a Government. Indeed, it has proven its mastery in worming its way successfully in the gutters.
If a party is domiciled in the gutters, forget it. If it resides away from the gutters, consider its manifesto seriously. If a new entrant has come along with a clean political culture and clean political behaviour, by all means embrace it. The electorate has a duty to accept issues of concerns as much as the political competitors have a duty to present issues. The principles of discussing personalities seeking public office is welcome and it must cut across the political spectrum. We should discuss issues and personalities objectively, freely and honestly, and not massage these discussions with political platitudes. This is uncivilised and politically immature.
A GOOD SYSTEM
Our political system in my view, is a good system. By itself it is not a problem. The problems include the ways in which the political parties compete for state power. The electorate must also be held responsible for the clogging of our political system. I also believe that the deterioration of our political system is the accumulated and combined efforts of the politicians and the electorate. They are equally to be blamed, and they alone can solve the attendant problems of our tribalised society.
I would also like to recommend that interested citizens wanting to become familiar with the formalities of our political system should get in touch with the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of the West Indies. The lecturers are accessible, and as long as you are open-minded, they will accommodate you. They are willing to communicate and effectively deliver expert, technical and conceptual solutions to the problems that face us.
Anthony Woodburn is a businessman
