| May 19, 2012 | 9 users online |
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Observer column for Friday, December 26, 1997 The PNP’s Mandate for The New Work Order Utterance by Leahcim Semaj The PNP must still be basking in their unprecedented third term victory. By all calculations, it was a well thought out, carefully orchestrated, scientific approach to electioneering. The PNP came out with a media campaign that was devastatingly effective. From Day One they laid out the strategy and followed it piece by piece, they had the JLP playing defense the entire time. The media certainly did not help as they were too anxious to major in minors. For the greater part of the election campaign no issues were discussed. The first month dealt with the observers and the second month dealt with the list and dates. During this time the PNP carefully maintained its presence on the ground getting it’s message across to those who really mattered, the PEOPLE. I see this victory as a mandate for the New Work Order, because in the PNP’s Manifesto they tell us that they will be building a "quality society" which will be structured on the two pillars of values and attitudes, and on education and training. This will facilitate economic growth and the entire structure will be supported by information technology. This is what the New Work Order requires. Let us examine some of the elements of this victory in light of what the New Work Order requires: 1. Departments must become TEAMS. There is no question that the People’s National Party presented a team to the nation. We could see the team at work. In contrast, the Jamaica Labour Party and the NDM did not present such an image. 2. The New Work Order requires leaders, not just managers or scorekeepers. PJ Patterson has finally demonstrated beyond doubt his capacity as a leader. Not in the old order, tribalistic, win/lose mode, but instead in a win/win, quiet, persuasive, behind-the- scenes way that gets things done and leaves people feeling good about themselves. POLITICAL REDUNDANCY There are a number of situations in which "cock mouth" did "kill cock". Pearnel Charles stated that the election would result in "the largest redundancy of politicians in the history of Jamaica". So predicted, so it has become. I can’t say I am sad to see three politicians go, the first of which is Mr. Charles. Over the past few years in his desperation to make a come back, Mr. Charles has demonstrated the old order politics of confrontation as manifested in Negril, and then he move on to Clarendon in his attempt to divide and conquer the community. His activities there have set back the developmental process in that community that will take quite some time to rebuild. I heard Rupert Lewis aptly describe Pearnel on First Edition as an "opportunist in the bad sense of the word" Ed Bartlett has also been made redundant. I first lost respect for him around his announcements about the Oaklands apartment buildings. He was on radio every day condemning the construction and predicting that if there were an earthquake the building would come crumbling down. Well, we had an earthquake and not one plaster cracked. I never heard an apology from Mr. Bartlett. Many of his statements since then have been in a similar vein. I’m happy to see him go. The third is Dr. Broderick, another master of the old order politics of confrontation. Interestingly his prediction of our having "the bloodiest election ever" was only manifested in the constituency in which he was running. A case of selfullfilling prophesy. I hope other politicians learn from them what we as a people no longer want. In contrast, I welcome Delroy Chuck to representational politics; he represents a breath of fresh air. THE SAMUDA FACTOR Mr. Samuda came through proving that it pays to tell the "truth". He got credit for daring to speak the truth about Eddie Seaga as he experienced it. He then got more credit for being willing to publicly state that his views had changed. I would love to see some follow-up on the comment made by Samuda that the PNP had a secret radio signal that was used to steal the ‘93 election. I wish for him to elaborate more on this issue. If he cannot substantiate this, he should make a public apology for creating mischief. RASPUTINS WITH MICROPHONES A number of talk show personalities were the other losers in the last election. I cannot accurately refer to them as "hosts" because they do not host programs, they use radio programs in the relentless pursuit of their personal agendas. A number of them lost badly in terms of the candidates that they were backing or working with. I do believe in the same way that we expect politicians to declare their interests, radio personalities and people with unlimited access to the media should declare their affiliations, both direct and indirect. This is so that members of the public who don’t move in the circles to pick up the bedroom and verandah gossips will be in a position to evaluate what they’re hearing on radio. THE REAL MANDATE The real task of the People’s National Party is to use this third term to achieve the unprecedented feat of uniting the Jamaican people to become One Nation in a quality society. I do believe that if they continue to read the signs properly and pull the best ideas out of all the manifestos, they can get this nation to work. One example of this process would be the emphasis that all three parties have placed on education. (I have a problem with the JLP’s program for building new schools. I don’t think that education is about new buildings.) That same agenda could also be incorporated with the PNP’s notion of information technology. JBC Radio One still exists. Our two television stations are under-utilized during the daytime. We could put together significant broadcast programmes by utilizing our best teachers and multimedia techniques and present classes from the studio to schools around Jamaica. THE REAL JAMAICA I believe that many of the complaints concerning Election Day missed the mark. All the inefficiencies were simply a graphic display of the real level of underdevelopment and disorganization in Jamaica. Every September schools reopen to major confusion because of these same inefficiencies. How many workers go to work on time? How many stage shows start on time? Then why did we expect the polls to open on time? The issue is not about just changing the political system, it is about transforming Jamaica into an organized, efficient and productive nation. Our politics is just a sub-set of who we are. As we grow, so too will our approach to politics. We showed some signs of growth this election, may we continue.
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