Political capital squandered

Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer

Bruce Golding's artful way of speaking and his flair of the English language resonated with many as he single-handedly took on sharp members of the rival People's National Party (PNP).

His analytical and oratorical skills demonstrated in parliamen-tary debates and public speeches over many years endeared him to party supporters.

So it was was no surprise to political obser-vers when former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Edward Seaga, all but anointed him as his heir apparent in 1992 during a function celebrating his 30th consecutive year as the member of parliament for Western Kingston at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

Yet, for all the glowing attributes and des-pite his gift of the gab that would usher him to the highest political heights, large segments of the population became disillusioned and sorely displeased with some of his decisions in short order.

Approach to governance

Among his first missteps was when he booted five members of the Public Service Commission, (PSC) within a few weeks of becoming prime minister.

The members of the PSC had displeased Golding when they opted for his erstwhile colleague, Professor Stephen Vasciannie to fill the solicitor general's post left vacant by Michael Hylton.

Golding's decision to kick the PSC members to the curb, in turn, irked members of the public. But his political capital was not yet fully squandered.

Then when Golding fired the Minister of Mining and Energy Clive Mullings from his Cabinet, public concern heightened about his approach to governance.

Amid criticisms about a run-away crime rate, former national security minister, Derrick Smith was axed from the Cabinet within a nine-month period and less than a year later, Smith's successor, the late Colonel Trevor MacMillan, was also shown the exit door.

To some critics, Golding had failed to learn from one of his predecessors, P.J. Patterson by shunting aside underperforming ministers in Cabinet reshuffles. He simply went to them and sent them packing in a manner that was deemed to lack finesse, sensitivity or tact.

But these were not the only casualties of Golding's four years in office. There were intra-party squabbles that resulted in much alienation among former colleagues.

When Golding and Harold Brady, the attorney whom he had instructed to lure the expertise of the United States law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips on Jamaica's side in the Christopher Coke extradition issue had a falling out, he moved to give him the boot.

Controversy raged

Brady stood his ground and so did Golding as the extradition controversy raged out of control.

Then when Karl Samuda, who was then general secretary of the JLP, moved to block Golding's decision to ostracise Brady, he became another target of the party leader's ire.

Within a year of the Manatt/ Dudus mess, Samuda was neither the general secretary of the JLP nor the minister of investment, industry and commerce, that he held for more than four years.

When Golding took away the positions of minister of justice and attorney general in a Cabinet reshuffle in 2011, many senior and prominent members of the embattled JLP, debilitated by the ravages of the Manatt-Dudus commission of enquiry, were enraged.

For many senior and prominent members of the JLP, it was a hapless Lightbourne who was made a scapegoat in the debacle.

And so the move against Golding from within the JLP intensified sounding the death knell for the political career of Bruce Golding, the man who had so enthralled the public since he was 24, but who ended up squandering his political fortunes at age 63.