THE EDITOR, Sir:
EDWARD SEAGA'S decision to exit the top post in the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is by far the timeliest thing he has done for a very long time, and for that we must say "big up Eddie" and "better late than never".
In fact, for a very long time many would argue that it appeared as if Mr. Seaga was never going to exit as Leader of the Opposition despite the very negative consequences of his remaining there losing election after election.
We have suffered greatly under the hands of the People's National Party over the last four terms but this is not entirely unexpected. The Westminster model that we have adopted relies, for its success, on strong checks, balances and feedback from a literate and sophisticated population. Without this regulatory mechanism, the Government's power becomes unlimited, and given time this power will be abused. After four terms, who can blame the present PNP Ministers from thinking and behaving as if they are invulnerable and omnipotent.
I remember being in Trinidad in the '80s when Minister of Works, Hugh Francis, of the ruling People's National Movement (PNM) erected a monument to himself in the middle of Wrightson Road in Port of Spain. The occasion was to mark some work done by his Ministry in re-paving a small section of Wrightson road. Of course the pubic demonstrated their outrage by immediately defacing the monument with hammer and paint. But the message was clear Minister Hugh Francis was simply a victim of his own elevated sense of worth, brought on by his PNM party being in power for more than two decades.
WATCHMEN
We in Jamaica have allowed a similar situation to exist by not being vigilant enough as watchmen and watchwomen of our own young democracy. If our economy and education system are being ruined today, then we have no one to blame but ourselves. The unimaginable debt situation in which we now find ourselves is simply a symptom of an administration believing that whatever it does is right. But who can blame them since we the citizens continue to re-elect them despite our pain and anguish.
The JLP under Mr. Seaga failed to re-position itself as a creditable alternative, and one could argue that Mr. Seaga himself was the main reason for the JLP's unattractiveness. No one will argue or attempt to dilute Mr. Seaga's positive contribution during the '80s, but this must be viewed against his very negative contributions since then.
It was clear to almost everyone, except Mr. Seaga and a few blinkered followers, that the JLP was unlikely to win again under his leadership. The best chance for the party was always Mr. Bruce Golding and finally this is within our short-term time reality. What Mr. Seaga still has not recognised, is that Mr. Golding has for a long time been the candidate most capable of bringing the JLP out of the wilderness. In this scenario, he can retire an elder statesman with the respect he deserves.
His present confrontational and divisive attempts to undermine Mr. Golding will only secure a fifth term for the PNP.
I think Jamaicans finally have a real chance of escaping a Government anaesthetised by the overuse of unchecked state power. The first step has been taken by Mr. Seaga; concerned Jamaicans must now ensure that they demonstrate their displeasure if anyone tries to destroy the party from within for selfish motives.
Mr. Seaga has been used as a punching bag by the PNP for a very long time. If he continues to attack and undermine Mr. Golding, he will only create more divisions in the party and further the illusion that the JLP is too fragmented to lead the country.
I am, etc.,
JOHN KARR
jts90@hotmail.com
Kingston
