State of Emergency, What State of Emergency?

End that State of Public Emergency now
Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Let there be no doubt or equivocation about our position. This State of Public Emergency declared Sunday night cannot and must not stand. We believe that there is absolutely no justification for it and, if it were meant to help, then it has had the very opposite effect, by creating a perception in the outside world, and among tourists, in particular, that Jamaica is not open for business.
Jamica Oberver Editorial
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Lift the State of Emergency now
Tuesday, August 21, 2007

We must express serious concern with the undue haste with which the Government has declared a period of public emergency. The decision to advise the Governor-General to make such a proclamation was made without consultation with the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). We believe that a step of such enormous magnitude in the midst of a fiercely contested general election required some consultation. The Prime Minister's justification for taking this step is presented after the fact and is completely unconvincing.
Jamaica Gleaner
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Above is how the nation’s two leading newspapers framed the recently declared state of emergency issued by PM Mamma “P.” both seem to take the position that it was hastily and thus prematurely issued and is in no way reflective of the current state of the country. The PM’s primary rationale for the edict is to “protect human life” but no one seems to be buying this. Instead it is being framed as a last ditched attempt to hold on to power. I do believe that the indication she was getting before this storm was that if the election was held on the 27th has previously announced she and her party would lose. Her dismal performance in the national debates and the incoherent messages coming out of your campaign declaring her party as one of change while simultaneously and might I throw in there foolishly holding on to the mantra that she “na change no coase” I think guaranteed that she would come up short in the August 27th Vote (The great and powerful oz may be misreading this).

It appears that Mamma may have incorrectly calculated (not an attack on your aptitude) how this order would be interpreted by a public struggling to pull their lives back together or maybe it is I who don’t understand it. I listen to talk radio throughout the day and most of the callers on the two main talk stations expressed concern about the state of emergency order. Yes, I will admit that my method is less than scientific but I don’t think I am not far off. Jamaicans are concerned about the impact that Mamma’s proclamation will have on the economy and their ability to go about their daily lives. Mutty Perkins and a few of his callers (August 21st show) gave us a condensed history lesson on some of the abuses that took place in the 70s when a similar order was issued. I, like so many of my fellow patriotic Jamaicans will be watching the news to see how this issue unfold.