No monopoly on arrogance

Over the last decade, parties in opposition have criticised the party in power for the large size of their Cabinet, and then when the tables are turned, they name an even larger one. This further serves to bring politics and politicians into disrepute for their do-as-I-say-but-not-as-I-do behaviour.

Portia Simpson Miller has named 15 Cabinet Ministers with portfolio responsibilities, and four Cabinet ministers without portfolio; including herself, that is a Cabinet of 20, one of the largest Cabinets in Jamaican history! Surely, she remembers how the Bruce Golding administration began: he named a Cabinet of 19, and she vehemently criticised it as an oversize whatnot. It would seem insensitive and 'don't cyah' to name an even bigger one. Neither side of Gordon House has a monopoly on arrogance.

The People's National Party (PNP) defends naming one of the largest Cabinets in Jamaican history on the grounds of succession planning, that is, it agrees that many of its stalwarts are getting on in age, and it wants to give some of its young people a chance to get some experience. Is this credible, or is it just the usual taking-us-for-fools political gambit?

Starting off on a different foot

First of all, it is not necessary to give a young politician experience by naming him or her as a full Cabinet minister; there is the option of starting them off as ministers of state, otherwise called junior ministers. Had that option been fully pursued, there would have been a Cabinet of 16 - which would have given a much better impression, and started off the Simpson Miller administration on quite a different foot.

That option was, in fact, partially employed, as eight junior ministers were named. You don't have to be bright like Thomas Edison to know that if you name as a minister without portfolio in your Cabinet someone with close connections, like a family member or a bridesmaid at your wedding, it will cause controversy. It would seem insensitive and 'don't cyah' to open yourself to a charge of nepotism. Neither side of Gordon House has a monopoly on arrogance.

As it turns out, there are now three full Cabinet ministers in the Office of the Prime Minister - including the prime minister herself - and a minister of state, making it a superministry that is not called a ministry. You may decide you need help, but you don't have to go about it this way.

As to succession planning: Roger Clarke, the oldest Cabinet minister (72 in June), has 41-year-old Ian Hayles as his minister of state; while the second-oldest Cabinet minister, A.J. Nicholson (70 next month), has young Arnaldo Brown (38 this year) as his minister of state. However, the third-oldest (Robert Pickersgill - 69 next month), the fourth-oldest (Ronald Thwaites - 67 next month) and the fifth-oldest, not counting Mrs Simpson Miller, (Derrick Kellier - 65 this year) Cabinet ministers have no one being prepared to take up the reins.

The sixth-oldest Cabinet minister (Omar Davies - 65 this year) has the 10th-oldest Cabinet minister (Morais Guy - 56 this year) in his ministry, while the seventh oldest Cabinet minister (Peter Phillips - 63 this year) has Horace Dalley 0f '90s vintage to help him. The eighth-oldest Cabinet Minister (Noel Arscott - 62 this year) has 56-year-old (Colin Fagan) as his minister of state. I could go on.

And take note: the 69-year-old minister of water, land, environment and climate change has not been given a minister without portfolio or a minister of state to help him. Clearly, that portfolio will remain the Cinderella!

As far as succession planning goes, it seems to me this effort is pretty weak. Out with the old, and in with the ... old!

Lame excuse

It seems to me that the excuse given for naming this oversize Cabinet does not hold water, and the PNP has opened itself to the accusation of trying to take the Jamaican public for fools. The PNP has not started well, and will have to come better than this if it does not want the Jamaican public to be its worst nightmare.

Of all the Jamaican governments in our history of contested elections, this PNP regime has the least popular support (in terms of percentage of the electorate, and percentage of persons eligible to be registered to vote), and as our people mature they will become even less tolerant of poor governance and lame excuses for political favouritism and jobs for the boys (and girls).

Peter Espeut is a sociologist and environmentalist. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.