Shopping for a political leader

Damion Blake,  Contributor

As Jamaica prepares to celebrate its 50th year of independence from British colonial rule in 2012, and with an impending general election on the political horizon, choosing a worthy leader should be number one on the electorate's political shopping list.

There are some essential traits that this leader ought to have if he or she hopes to have the buy-in effect that will satisfy the potential buyer. A political leader of top quality must possess the skills and attributes of being substantive, articulate, experienced, visionary, transformative and heavily endowed with integrity and accountability. Most important, Jamaica needs a leader who has the courage to make tough, non-populist decisions that will address its major challenges of a sweltering debt stock, jobless growth, an investor-unfriendly global economy, the persistent problems associated with organised criminality, and the scourge of garrison-style politics.

Item No. 1: The Economy

Over the last decade, the leadership caucus in both the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) governments has failed to substantially improve the economic condition of the majority of Jamaicans. While the leadership of the JLP Government ought to be commended for making inroads into our debt-financing strategy through its Jamaica Debt Exchange programme and has managed to avert the economy plunging into a full-blown crisis, as in other places like Iceland, Portugal and Greece, the problem of unemployment lingers.

Jamaica managed the period without shedding public-sector jobs, which was a common theme throughout Europe during the crisis. According to data from the International Labour Organisation, global unemployment rates now stand at 6.2 per cent. The Jamaican unemployment rate in comparison doubles this figure (12.9 per cent), based on a January 2011 report from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica.

Numbers and figures aside, the outcry from the Jamaican electorate has been, "We need jobs, jobs and more jobs." The opinions expressed on talk-show programmes, letters to newspaper editors and opinion polls all point in this direction. Both the JLP and the PNP band of leaders must showcase to us, the political shoppers, what wares they have in stock to address this pressing concern.

The task of job creation is a very difficult given that our major trading partners are experiencing the same difficulties we are having, hence weak international and domestic demand for Jamaican goods and services. It is hoped that the announced economic plan by party president and leader of the PNP, Jamaica Employment Emergency Plan, can rescue us from this current jobless crisis. The PNP leadership must have the substantive rigour and show us its capacity to drive Jamaica's jobless growth to a higher terrain.

The electoral shopper must also consider how the current leadership in the JLP Government is dealing with the current International Monetary Fund (IMF) impasse. Some US$635 million in external funds are being held up at the moment, as the Jamaican Government stalls in meeting the eight-point test (of which we have passed three) requirement of the IMF loan agreement.

If the PNP intends to become the new government at the next general election, it, too, will also have to show us its vision and plan of action to deal with the tough global economic realities and the way forward with international financial institutions like the IMF.

Item No. 2: Garrison Politics and Criminality

In shopping for a leader, the Jamaican electorate must consider how he or she intends to continue an unrelenting battle against the organised criminal gangs and their 'own' leaders - shottas and the dons. The incursion in May 2010 on the West Kingston garrison stronghold of Tivoli Gardens and the subsequent extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke sent a strong signal to the criminal gangs across Jamaica that we have had enough. This did not come about, however, solely from the will of our political leaders; in fact, this call was championed first, and resoundingly so, from all of us Jamaicans who spoke as one voice against the nefarious link between our politics and criminal interests.

In this regard, civil-society associations and groups placed tremendous pressure on the Government to act responsibly and courageously in tackling the cancer of garrison politics and gang culture in Jamaica. The 40 per cent reduction in the murder rate is highly commendable, and we expect that there will be continuity in the anti-crime measures by either Mrs Portia Simpson Miller or Mr Andrew Holness. In shopping for a new leader, we must keep our eyes and ears open to what measures will be continued and improved to take on the challenge of crime.

The JLP Government is yet to respond to the Jamaica Civil Society Coalition's call for campaign-finance legislation to be passed in Parliament. The Electoral Commission of Jamaica made a raft of recommendations for addressing the issues of how political parties get their funding and resources. Either of the two parties stands to gain points on integrity and accountability if they were to accept these recommendations, which would go a far way in continuing the fight against political corruption and garrison politics.

The leader we need

Whoever intends to become the new leader of government in Jamaica after the ballot has been cast must show us that he/she has the political will, the internal party respect and support, as well as the courage to uproot organised criminality across every garrison-type constituency in the country.

We must applaud the outgoing prime minister, Mr Bruce Golding, for recognising that his tenure of leadership of the JLP and the Government of Jamaica was not in our best interest at this time. History will in some ways be kind to Mr Golding, given the many challenges he had to face, and the tough, unpopular decisions and risks he took as he governed.

We now live in an interconnected and transnational world; our democracy requires a managerial type of leader who has a full grasp of the dynamics at the transnational level and its connection to local realities. Our newly elected prime minister will have to be able to continue the processes of renewal and transformation in the critical areas of job creation, reducing Jamaica's debt, attracting foreign investment, de-garrisonising our politics and insulating our communities from the clutches of organised criminal special interests that threaten to pervert the quality of our 50-year-old independent democracy.

These are the kinds of things the Jamaican electorate should be considering as we decide to shop for a new manager and leader of our politics and government in 2011 or 2012.

Damion Blake is a doctoral student at Virginia Tech State University. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and damionkblake@gmail.com.