It is good to peruse party manifestos

THE EDITOR, Madam:

IN 2002, after the issuance of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) general election manifesto, I highlighted a glaring mistake in a letter to the editor. This is on the part of distinguished JLP stalwart Edward Seaga, that he hoped to start a degree programme at G.C. Foster. At that time, I was in my second year doing my degree at G.C. Foster and was very alarmed about such an outstanding error by such an iconic character.

Sometimes from both sides of the political process we pounce upon errors of this nature. But all in all, most of these manifestos are well-written, highlighting programmes and policies either party wishes to implement.

We have to be mindful of the many things which can pass you if you’re not very observant, which can toss you into a state of discombobulation. No manifesto will be perfect from human errors, but we have to read and find out facts at first hand. It is not that persons are trying to be disingenuous to indicate fake news. But to collate all that critical information in such short space of time for a general election sometimes poses a challenge to the manifesto committees.

This is why time is so precious in an election year, so the opposing party is most of the time unaware of when is the due date of elections. So, the opposition’s manifesto committees have to do everything in one rush of blood and sweat. From an apolitical stance, the great error of Michael Manley in 1980 to call a general election after such an extended time frame should never see the light of day again, which saw over 800 deaths in political gang warfare. Mr Manley, being the greatest implementer of crucial policies which are still helping thousands in today’s Jamaica, made one of his fundamental two errors, the other being not contesting the general election of 1983. These two errors cannot discount Joshua’s tremendous and magnificent contribution to nation-building.

PARIS TAYLOR

paristaylor82@hotmail.com