THE OPPOSITION Leader, Mr. Bruce Golding, has strong reasons for wanting a revived social partnership to result in the Government committing itself to "measurable and enforceable" economic targets and for any eventual compact to be "sealed and tight".
However, as Mr. Golding well knows, it is an exceedingly difficult feat for one to eat his cake and at the same time have it - at least not the same piece.
In other words, if Mr. Golding and the Jamaica Labour Party want to have a significant hand in whatever emerges from the negotiations between the Government and the private sector on the parameters of economic policy in Jamaica, outside of having the reins of government, they have to find themselves seats at the negotiating table.
The Opposition leader has taken the first significant, even if somewhat circumspect steps in this direction, which we want to encourage. Except that we would suggest that Mr. Golding and his party should walk far more boldly.
We understand, of course, Mr. Golding's circumspection, despite having gone much further than his predecessor, Mr. Edward Seaga, in formally taking the JLP into the talks. After all, he faces a popular prime minister, Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller, who, recently elected to the top post in her party, is probably playing for the most opportune moment to go to the electorate to seek her own mandate so as to solidify her position in party and government. Like Mr. Seaga before him, Mr. Golding is obviously concerned about being co-opted into supporting government policy and being limited in his capacity to criticise the administration.
Yet, at the same time Mr. Golding, given his own rhetoric about the prospects for democratic governance in Jamaica, and his current warming to the social partnership talks, understands that there have to be some areas of national life that have to be beyond narrow partisan contests; areas around which we can have national consensus even if we disagree and debate on specific details. The economy, and the broad policy environment in which it operates, are among those segments demanding of national consensus.
In that regard, we urge Mr. Golding to move beyond the exploratory talks which he has mandated his shadow commerce minister to have with the private sector and towards full engagement. Indeed, it cannot be beyond the capacity of the Opposition to engage in these talks without compromising fundamental principles and maintaining sufficient difference between itself and the ruling party so as to be considered a viable, alternative government.
Mr. Golding also made a major and critical point which we suggest to Prime Minister Simpson Miller for her embrace. The social partnership talks are so important, the Opposition Leader pointed out, that if he were the incumbent of Jamaica House, the leader of the country, he would be leading them himself.
This makes sense to us, and it should also to Mrs. Simpson Miller, assuming that she reposes importance in the likely compact. But having acknowledged just how important these talks are, Mr. Golding clearly has no room within which to retreat.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
