THE OBSCENITY committed by supporters of the People's National Party in parading a 'Baby Seaga coffin' at an election rally last week has been roundly condemned; and rightly so.
It may well be the low point of a campaign for which a Political Code of Conduct has been framed to discourage such breaches of behaviour.
The incident brought a sharp rebuke from Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair, demanding that the PNP apologise to the Seaga family. This came "unreservedly and unequivocally" in a statement from General Secretary Maxine Henry-Wilson.
In reacting with firmness Bishop Blair justified his appointment as Ombudsman; and demonstrated the usefulness of this office as part of the electoral infrastructure.
In the PNP statement Mrs. Henry-Wilson added a most pertinent observation to the effect that the incident "further points to the clear need for greater control of supporter exuberance at the grassroots level."
That is the very point we have raised in these columns in urging the leadership of the parties to impose greater control at the constituency level. The tribal instincts which fuel party politics at this level need firm restraint.
Whipping up enthusiasm from the platform is part of the process. But if the speakers make derogatory references to rival personalities rather than deal with public issues, gutter politics will be the result; and that was the verdict of the Ombudsman in this unfortunate incident.
It is worth noting that the coffin was paraded at the rally in Four Paths, Clarendon, Wednesday night. It was the same meeting toward which a PNP motorcade was heading when it passed through Mitchell Town earlier in the day and got involved in a clash with JLP supporters.
Jamaican politics took a shameful nose-dive last Wednesday, day and night. Political miscreants tried a sick joke which misfired and for which the PNP must make amends by leading like a ruling party worthy of that honour.
