Renewing hope in our country

This is a contribution from the Public Theology Forum, an ecumenical group of theologians and ministers of religion.

On Sunday, September 25, Prime Minister Bruce Golding informed the national executive of the Jamaica Labour Party of his intention to resign as leader of the party and prime minister by mid-November, when the party conference is due to be held. The party and nation were thrown into a state of shock and disbelief at the sudden and unexpected announcement.

Speculation ran rife as to his reason for such drastic action only four years into his first term as prime minister, which he began with such high hopes on promise of change in the political culture of our country. We had hoped that it was he who would have redeemed Jamaica from the economic and social ills which were strangling us.

Now he was exiting the stage, and many were asking why? Was he pressured from outside, particularly from our big and powerful neighbour from the North? Were there elements within his own party making it uncomfortable for him to remain? Or was it deeply personal given the fact that the decision was made at the time he was mourning the passing of his mother, the matriarch of the Golding family. Was he like Saul, experiencing a moment of transformation?

Truth

On October 2, one week after the initial announcement, in a broadcast to the nation, prime minister Golding gave his reasons for offering to resign. Many were left wondering whether we have the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The one sure thing which emerged was that his decision to resign was irreversible. He has decided to go: but why at this time, only one year from the time when the next election is constitutionally due?

The answer seems to be hidden in the political agenda which is to make way for a younger person in his party to assure the leadership, apparently an open endorsement of Andrew Holness and Christopher Tufton and a painful slap at Ken Baugh, Pearnel Charles, Mike Henry and Audley Shaw, all of whom had loyally carried the party when Golding deserted to form the National Democratic Movement.

Many persons consider this political sleight of hand, inappropriate, as Dr Baugh broke his usual silence to protest. More to the point, however, is the fact that this sudden awakening to the primacy of youth over all else is being advocated by a man who is a living example of the inadequacy of youth. Bruce Golding was the youngest person to be elected to Parliament at age 24. He held several leadership positions in the JLP, including the top post of prime minister at age 60. He was young, bright and dynamic, but as Eddie Seaga, who mentored him, said, he lacked the quality of a transformational leader.

He brought Jamaica to the edge of a dangerous precipice forcing civil society, the churches and other non-governmental organisation to demand his resignation. Bruce Golding had clearly put party before country, and he was resigning because it was painfully apparent that he had lost the trust and confidence of the people and could not lead his party to victory at the polls. That is the real reason for his resignation. Everything else is window dressing.

The shift to promoting youth in leadership is a shrewd political strategy which might shore up the declining fortunes of the party. Most of us do not accept the view advanced by Mr Golding himself that, at 60, he was too old to lead his party. He was younger than some leaders of the most economically successful countries in the world, such as Germany, Brazil, India, and China. The latter country is providing financial life-sustaining support to Jamaica despite the fact that some in the JLP speak disparagingly of socialist policies and leadership by the elderly.

New hope for Jamaica

Whatever we may think about the way in which our prime minister has demitted office, the fact is we are faced with a new leader this afternoon. This may be a good thing for Jamaica. It offers us an opportunity to restore hope to our people who desperately want to build a better Jamaica. The restoration of hope and renewal depends on the decision of all the people, both PNP and JLP and any other party, to hear and obey the Word of God.

What is the biblical word for all of us at this time? It is found in Micah 6:8: "God has shown you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." This means that our leaders, on both sides, must resolve to do that which is right, that is, righteousness in the sight of God and man, and not merely that which is expedient.

Civil society must now use its new-found power to work together by insisting on the following

1 The time has come for all of us to put our country before our party.

2 That the incoming leader, Andrew Holness, must not only be young and new. He must also be different, with a commitment to change. It cannot be business as usual.

3 The PNP, which is seeking to form the next Government, must also reform itself and put into leadership only those candidates of proven and unquestionable moral integrity if they wish to get our votes.

4 The political parties must refrain from blaming each other, which, apart from being childish and immature, will inflame passions and incite violence. They must follow "the more excellent way". (1 Cor 12:13)

5 The decisions of Government must not only be legal, they must be moral as well.

6 The practice of seeking to justify a bad decision on the basis that the previous Government did it is not an ethical principle, but a recipe for disaster.

7 We must insist on the principle of equality and justice for all in the distribution of jobs and scarce benefits.

8 Commitment to honesty, integrity and truthfulness must inform all the decisions of Government, whoever comes to power.

9 Government must be transparent and accountable to the people. The new leader must expedite the legislative reform already in place to accomplish this commitment.

10 Those who would lead us must seek to promote the common good and not their own personal interest. Jamaicans must not only talk, but truly feel in their hearts that this is the place to live, do business and raise their families, and have the freedom to serve God, Jamaica, and our brother and sisters in Christ.