Heather Robinson
IN ANOTHER two or three months, delegates of the People's National Party (PNP) will elect the party's fourth president. In another year or two, Jamaicans who are registered voters will decide whether the PNP is re-elected for a fifth term.
They will also decide if there is any value in electing a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government led by Bruce Golding to form the first JLP government since 1983, which was the last time the JLP was elected to office.
It seems hard to believe that it was 23 years ago since the JLP celebrated a general election victory. Then of course, there are some who will say that since that election was not contested by the PNP, it does not count.
There is a common thread in all of these elections. It is the ballot that will be used as the tool to determine - in the first instance - who becomes the PNP's fourth president, and also Jamaica's seventh Prime Minister. Ballots will also be used to decide which political party leads Jamaica into the second decade of this century.
My own recollection of March 28, 1992, is this: After the ballots or votes had been counted, P.J. Patterson emerged as the winner with 2,322 votes to Portia Simpson's 756. Mr. Patterson gave an acceptance speech and the conference was adjourned at which time the government whip or Deputy Leader of Government Business, Terry Gillette, called to order a meeting of the parliamentary group.
QUICK DECISION
This meeting was convened with the sole purpose of determining who from among the 52 Members of Parliament, was the person whom they would wish to ask the Governor-General to appoint as Prime Minister.
A decision was arrived at very quickly. The choice was P.J. Patterson. Within the hour of that decision having been made, Mr. Gillette called the Governor-General and advised him of the parliamentary group's choice.
On the occasion of P.J. Patterson's retirement and the subsequent election of the PNP's fourth president, one can assume the following. Immediately after the new president has given his acceptance speech, the special delegates' conference will be adjourned.
Someone, perhaps Derrick Kellier, who is now the government whip, will call to order a meeting of the parliamentary group. In 1992 there was no secret ballot. There was consensus. In 2006 will the vote be done by secret ballot, or will the PNP again be able to have consensus?
Whoever emerges as the person in whom the parliamentary group has most confidence, will become the prime minister-in-waiting, as Mr. Patterson has stated that he will be around to introduce his successor.
There will be no swearing-in ceremony at Emancipation Park the following Tuesday of a new Prime Minister. Instead, our new PM will become a joint tenant of Jamaica House with Mr. Patterson, or perhaps that individual will remain at their old ministry until the date Mr. Patterson's retirement becomes effective.
OBSTACLES
During this period of transition many things can and will happen. The PNP's fourth president will use this time to have meetings to ensure that come swearing-in day, the party goes out there as a united team.
Equally, there will be the usual rumours as to who has been dropped from the Cabinet and who has been included. P.J. Patterson in 1992 made no changes to Michael Manley's Cabinet, and he forgave all who had campaigned against him, instead campaigning for Portia.
The losing ballot holders in 2006 will make or break the PNP. If the PNP is not careful this could carry on into the general election. Fortunately for the PNP, losers can quickly re-tool themselves and become winners of a fifth historic term for the PNP.
Heather Robinson is a life underwriter and former Member of Parliament.
