Golding under fire - A biblical parallel

Alfred Sangster, Contributor

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is currently under fire with strident calls for his resignation along with those of several of his ministers. The calls come from religious leaders, political opponents, persons in the media as well as local and overseas letter writers.

The issue that has brought this torrent of criticism is the handling of the Christopher 'Dudus' Coke extradition request from the United States (US) government and the involvement of the US law firm, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips with Jamaica. Did the firm represent the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) or the government of Jamaica? The prime minister has been accused of lying to the country and betraying trust that should be held in a leader.

This article makes a comparison of the well known Biblical leader, King David, to see if there are parallels of trust, behaviour and experience between him and Bruce Golding.

Six steps in their lives give us a picture of how a leader in the past faced, and one in the present may face the trials of their day. These steps may help us to judge the present prime minister's actions and consider his future. The comparisons will also give an insight into the realities of human nature and the frailties of our flesh.

We must also, at the outset, in the current climate of stridency and the challenges and counter challenges of corruption and misbehaviour, reflect that there are elements of selective morality and historical hypocrisy.

Two examples will suffice: We would have to ask the question as to whether the action of the former minister of finance, in initiating special project funding in order to win an election and describing the action as to "run wid it", would not amount to being a crime against the state and the people of Jamaica.

Former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, when initially faced with the Trafigura scandal, remarked, at the time, that the enquirer "Should ask the PNP"?

But how may we compare the actions of King David and Bruce Golding?

1. Difficulties in their Rise to Power

 The Wilderness Experience

DAVID

The initial success of the young shepherd boy with Goliath was short lived. The envious King Saul was angry and became an enemy for life as the children of Israel sang:

Saul has slain his thousands

And David his ten thousands

There were numerous occasions when Saul with his army of men tried to kill David. It was truly a wilderness experience for David as he moved from place to place. That wilderness experience would have toughened the young David and enabled him to become the strong leader of Israel.


BRUCE

Initial success as the inheritor of his father's political legacy saw him being sidelined as not being able to succeed the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) at the time. This led to Bruce's wilderness experience as the founder and leader of the National Democratic Movement (NDM). The reality of the failure of the third-party initiative would have led to his return to the JLP. The fact that he was able to become party leader and win an election against a party machine that had been in power for 18 years was a unique and unprecedented achievement in Jamaica's political history.

2. SUCCESS AS A LEADER

DAVID

David began, initially, to rule over the tribe of Judah after the death of King Saul. He found a nation that was divided between loyalty to Saul and support for David. There was more fighting between the descendants and supporters of Saul before he finally became the King of the 12 tribes of Israel with Jerusalem as his capital. He had to consolidate the kingdom against the traditional. Philistine enemies as well as the other tribes that had been at war with the tribes of Israel for many years.


BRUCE

On winning the elections, Bruce Golding inherited a nation deep in debt, the economy in shambles, crime at an unprecedented level, with Jamaica named as the murder capital of the world. He achieved major success in curbing the runaway debt through the Jamaica Debt Exchange (JDX) programme. He has brought inflation down, arranged the Caribbean Airlines of Trinidad partnership with Air Jamaica and arranged a critical and successful standby arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The poor are helped by the new arrangements in health and education. Crime has been dramatically reduced.


3. FAILURES OF LEADERSHIP

David

Having consolidated and united the kingdom. overlooking the city, he saw Bathsheba bathing nearby. Desire and lust reared their ugly heads. David sent for the beautiful, married Bathsheba and made love to her. Bathsheba got pregnant! How to deal with the husband who was with the troops? A message is sent to Joab, the army commandant: "Station Uriah in the front lines where he will be killed. So said, so done. Bathsheba is brought into the palace after the period of mourning. Mission accomplished. But God is in the shadows and the prophet Nathan tells it like it is. "You have murdered Uriah and stolen his wife. The child conceived in sin will die."


BRUCE

As the prime minister, he was now faced with the extradition request from the United States for the constituency strongman 'President' Dudus. How to deal with the US request yet preserve his constituency base? The hiring of the American law firm, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips on the extradition issue was a serious error of judgment. Was it the JLP or the government of Jamaica that hired the US law firm? The hiring of Manatt, using a local lawyer who claimed to represent the Government of Jamaica, created serious problems. The prime minister was embarrassed with the accusation of lying and lack of trust to the Jamaican people. This was his perceived sin.

4. MAKING PEACE WITH GOD


DAVID

David was stricken with the prophet's accusation.

and Psalm 51 is a refection of the agony of heart and soul that he went through.

"Against you, and you alone, have I sinned

I have done what is evil in your sight.

Create in me a clean heart, O God

Renew a right spirit within me".

David's repentance and sorrow would have been known to his fellow Israelites. Doubtless there were those who argued that he was an unworthy ruler, while others would have seen the repentance as genuine. It was a time of crisis for the nation with deep divisions in the country - much like we are having now.


BRUCE

With pressure of the media, civic groups and religious leaders, Bruce Golding acknowledged that he had done wrong to the people of Jamaica. His public apology and request for forgiveness was, in fact, a unique and courageous act in Jamaica's political history.

Public confession to man is confession to God as well. Therefore, if Bruce has made his peace with God, as David did, he can have the assurance of a forgiving God, if not necessarily a forgiving people. For there are those who see no signs of repentance and are still calling for Bruce's head and his blood. The question comes, what of the future?

5. GETTING ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF LEADERSHIP

In the context of the crisis that came to the nation due to the leader's indiscretions and sin the work of the county needed to go on. We examine the implications on continued governance and leadership.

DAVID

David, having made his peace with God and had the assurance of God's forgiveness, dried his tears at the death of Bathsheba's baby. The capital city of Jerusalem, after the incident, would have been in a buzz of excitement and confusion. There sere still many enemies, so that strong leadership would be needed. David took up the challenge and inserted his authority, secure in the belief that his sin had been forgiven and that he was right with God. With that assurance he could face the world with confidence and assurance.


BRUCE

The distraction of the prime minister's error has become fodder for his enemies to attack his credibility as a leader. In the context of the national situation, the prime minister would need to attend to the affairs of state as well as his new regional role. Those who call for his resignation have obviously not thought through the implications of the support of his party colleagues and of a possible election for a nation in a confused state of mind. The prime minister decided to move on to the task at hand.





6. The FUTURE AND DEALING WITH ENEMIES


DAVID

There were still many obstacles to face and other battles to fight. He had to suffer family feuds and treachery. David was ruthless with enemies that threatened the security of the state and exercised his authority with a firmness that was necessary. With all the sins that David committed, it was recorded that he was "A man after God's own heart" How could this be? His ultimate reverence for God's standards and authority has to be the key to understanding that relationship


BRUCE

How will Prime Minister Golding serve the people in the days ahead and regain their trust? Some thoughts:

1. Publish in Parliament full disclosure on Manatt.

2. Pick up the reigns of government and make it obvious that you are in charge. Problems remain: finance, crime, corruption, justice and society relationships.

3. Deal decisively with enemies of the state and crime.

Can we dare to hope and pray that Bruce may be described as "a man after God's own heart"?


Dr Alfred Sangster is a retired educator. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com