Beverley Anderson-Manley

AS THE election campaign heats up, there will be more and more focus on the 'Undecided'; the 'Uncommitted' or the 'Apathetic'. However we choose to name this group, there is a considerable number of persons who have decided to 'wait and see'. Another portion of this group seems to be saying "a plague on both their houses". Yet another portion may decide to vote as election day draws nigh. This is the section on which both political parties should be concentrating.

Portia's Campaign Style

According to the Don Anderson polls, there is no longer a statistical dead heat between the two parties as the People's National Party (PNP) is ahead of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) by four percentage points. The JLP has had its road campaign almost completely to itself for one year. This campaign has been buttressed by media advertisements on a constant basis. The PNP leader and Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, took seriously to the field in March of this year. Since then, on a regular, weekly basis, she has traversed many constituencies, even at times, concentrating on seats that should normally be safe for the JLP.

Her style is engaging and it must be a virtual nightmare organising tours for a leader who insists on taking time to be with the people if that is what the occasion demands. This is often to the detriment of her planned stops at strategic points. What is clear is that Portia embodies some quality that the masses of the people are embracing. In addition, this quality, whatever it is, appears to be linked to the fact that she is a woman and therefore has certain attributes that the people feel Jamaica needs at this time.

The Opposition Programme

How else can we explain that the PNP is still in the picture, 18 years later? How else can we explain that after sustained, organised field programmes by the JLP and its leader Bruce Golding, neither the party or its leader is ahead in any of the polls, except the Mark Wignall poll? The pollsters themselves are puzzled by some of the findings that they are getting. Perhaps they should follow Portia into the field and see what happens when she arrives in an area. Even in areas where the JLP candidate is seen by the constituents as the winner, when the question is asked about who they favour or who is the best performer - in that same constituency - Portia comes out ahead of Bruce. I am reminded of a fairly recent time in United States history when there was a group of persons identified as 'Reagan Democrats'. Are we seeing a phenomenon here in Jamaica of 'Portia Labourites'?

Who Will Win These Elections?

This is not to suggest that the election is an easy win for either party. Never before in the history of Jamaica have the stakes been so high. The political careers of both leaders are in jeopardy if they lose. A major casualty would be the so-called 'unity' that exists in both parties. Whoever loses, disunity is sure to become dominant immediately as the losing party turns upon itself. Heads are likely to roll. Nothing can be taken for granted.

Hopefully, in all of this, voters and civil society generally will remember that the agenda for sustainable development (including growth with equity) must never be taken off the front burner. We need to focus on the major issues facing Jamaica and how the political parties intend to deal with these issues. In concentrating on these issues, bear in mind also that the two new leaders bring their particular emphases to the policies and programmes.

The morning after, when the elections are all over, the many challenges we face in Jamaica will still be here. Most importantly, Jamaica will still require a group of citizens who take their role and responsibilities so seriously that they develop more organisations to keep Government on track. In order to do this, we have to develop the capacity to see ourselves, our communities, our relationships, our societies and our world differently. We need to commit to making a difference in peoples' lives.