Campbell's Commentary - PANDEMIC, PANIC AND ELECTION IN JAMAICA

 By Aubrey Campbell

NEW YORK. NY. Tuesday, September 1, 2020 -- Jamaicans at home go to the polls on Thursday for the country's general election, during which they'll select their 63 members of Parliament from candidates from the two traditional parties, the ruling Jamaica Labor Party, JLP, led by PM Andrew Holness and the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), chaired by Dr. Peter Phillips. 

As I have offered on too many occasions in this forum, it’s very hard taking sides but I have come to realize that, that is easier said than done, from a distance, as what currently obtains in my case.

I’m not living there, so I can say anything!

Looking towards Thursday, I’m heartened by the fact that a shortened campaign season means little to no related violence! But then, how to credit the COVID 19 pandemic is tricky! Tricky because Laborite Andrew is hoping that that becomes his ‘trump’ card!

Pun intended, of course!

There is a feeling that if there was no pandemic on which to hitch his re-election bid, he would have waited until next February to ‘fly the gate’.

And that would have been perfectly normal, if anything about politics, these days can be so labeled!

One time, not so long ago, it was difficult to use the words ‘politics’ and ‘maturity’ in the same sentence. So, we have come of age a bit, there, only now to be faced with a not so beautiful dynamic, a hydra-headed monster, if you will.

One head is that of the party pirate and the other is that of corruption! The concern here is that I do not see it changing any time soon!

Like so much of what passes for democracy these days, Jamaica is mired in a two-party swamp!

Here’s the challenge.

If democracy is the preferred option of governance by the people, for the people, of the people, why are so many nations stuck in this two-part swamp, hindering their own personal and national development, in real time?

If you continue to re-invent the wheel every five years, what do you think will happen? Where is the leader who will, unapologetically build on those programs that benefit the majority of the population, irrespective of party?

And where is the leader who, instead of playing ‘musical chairs’ with the pirates, put them in prison, behind bars?

Look right across Georgetown. No sooner had the courts handed the keys to the PPP/C, less than a month ago, Bharrat Jagdeo ordered the arrest and detention of persons inside GECOM who tampered with the March 2 election results, causing months and months of delay in naming his party as the winner.

While the Guyana electorate is split squarely along racial lines, Jamaica’s deep divide is ideological. It’s gonna be difficult to bridge the gap without a serious change in culture, helped by a serious and sincere third party!

Before there were debates and public ‘tracing’ matches, there were manifestos, documents written in very colourful, convincing language, detailing the programs and policies of the government, if elected to office, if elected to serve!

A government is always elected but the moment the ink is dry on the document of authority, that document, that manifesto becomes a non-entity! In other words, no party sticks to the list of promises it makes on the campaign trail, promises that more often than not, get it elected to power, leaving one to conclude that the electorate are fools!

Remember, promises are considered comfort to fools!

You get my drift.

I was otherwise engaged at home on Saturday evening and so I missed the debate but the consensus is that Socialist Peter came out on the up side!

Good for him.

Sunday afternoon, during conversation over dinner of brown stewed chicken over peas and rice with carrot/beet juice, tinged with ginger and lime and sweetened to taste with honey, political commentator/journalist, Michael Roberts of the Caribbean Times newspaper, noted that debates are what they are, but it will be difficult for a party, any party, to lose a general election with a double digit lead in the opinion polls, days, and in this instance, a matter of hours before ballots are cast!

Time will tell!

Thursday is D-day!

May the better party wins and may the force of the dearly departed Chadwick Boseman, be with you.

Remember, your opinion matters.

You now have the floor.

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Editor’s note. Aubrey Campbell is producer/host of ‘Caribbean Conversation’, airing Sundays, 3 – 5 pm, on WNYH, 740 AM, and streaming on the Caribzone Media Network at, www.caribzone.com.