FRESH FROM its massive win in last Thursday's Local Government elections, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has reportedly settled on the idea of forcing an early General Election to bring down the Government.
Key party insiders told The Gleaner yesterday that during the JLP's Standing Committee meeting on
Monday night, there was general consensus that the party needed to pressure the Government into an election within the next 18 to 24 months.
Dr. Ken Baugh, general-secretary of the Opposition JLP, said yesterday that the party had not yet decided on the specific course of action that it would take now that it had amassed increased political muscle. However, he admitted that the matter of pushing for early elections has already surfaced in discussions.
"Events are going to determine what is going to happen," Dr. Baugh said, adding that the economy is likely to implode within the coming months, sparking social unrest.
Though the next General Election is not constitutionally due until 2007, there has been much speculation since last Thursday as to whether the JLP would use its recent electoral victory to launch an assault to bring down the Government of the People's National Party (PNP), which has held power for the past 14 years.
POPULARITY HAS TUMBLED
The PNP was returned as Government for a fourth consecutive term, in the parliamentary election, just over eight months ago. However, its popularity has tumbled badly, following worsening economic conditions, including a sharp depreciation of the local currency.
Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies' presentation of a $14.5 billion tax plan to plug the hole in the budget also angered many Jamaicans who saw a steep rise in their cost of living.
Chairman of the PNP, Robert Pickersgill, said yesterday that the JLP's push for an early election was a "recipe for pandemonium". He said the JLP was well within its right to use legal and constitutional means to keep pressure on the Government but argued that such pressure should not descend into illegal protests and street demonstrations.
The PNP chairman scoffed at the approach of the Opposition, pointing out that after the PNP beat the JLP in the Local Government elections in 1986, it made no threats about bringing down the Government before the end of its term in office.
