Our Long National Nightmare Continues

Jamaicans are pulling things back together after the ravages of hurricane Dean. I am thankful that it wasn’t worst but I empathize with those who lost a loved one or sustained damage to their property. I am hopeful that the “can do” spirit of our people will sustain them in this time of despair. I am not hopeful however that the Portia Government will chose a course that is in the best interest of our broken country and all indication suggest that she continues to be the leader of her party and not leader of all Jamaica.

Her lack of willingness to charge course his quickly emerging as her Achilles heel in this election. There are several examples that illustrate this but I think the two that stand out the most is her decision not to make any meaningful changes to her cabinet when she ascended to the Prime Minstership and prematurely declaring a state of emergency (SOE) ahead of Hurricane Dean earlier this week. Both had far reaching implications but it’s the latter that I am most concerned with at this time.

Let me be the first to confess that I do not have a degree in the constitutional law of Jamaica but I still have not heard any plausible justification for why such a move was necessary. Secondly, her declaration is being used as a rationale for further hijacking the electoral process and threatening the most important responsibility our people have. The most logical question then is why? Why has she found it necessary at this time to take these actions?

The answer I think rest in the belief within her party that they were headed for a defeat. Under the current SOE she gets to assume the role of elder statesperson rising above politics and leading the nation through difficult times. She can command the bully pulpit by repeatedly calling press conferences void of any real benefit to the public but instead are really drawn out PNP ads. The opposition in the meanwhile is caught in what one of my professors referred to as the “double bind.” If they come out too early with motorcades and other rallies they will be accused of politicizing the aftermath of dean but if they remain quiet they risk losing the momentum they had prior to the hurricane. It amounts to a virtual no win situation for them and thus a brilliant move on the part of Mamma “p” and her party. I am watching and waiting to see what move Mr. Golding and his party will make.