Newsboyphil Reporting from Kingston, Jamaica

JLP ready to form Next Government of Jamaica

      --The Euphoria appears to be subsiding following the swearing in of Jamaica's first female Prime Minister. The opposition Jamaica Labour party has been steadily preparing to take over the reigns of the government of Jamaica. With general elections constitutionally due in 2007. The labour party has been put on election alert. There is a strong feeling that the Prime Minister will call an early election to secure her mandate. The JLP present the idea that change must happen. Certainly unseating an incumbent in government takes more than ideas and rhetoric.

The results of the last local government elections indicate that the tide is indeed turning. After 17 years in Government, the PNP is less popular with the electorate. The JLP won more votes than the PNP in the 2003 elections. 267, 081 to the PNP's 249,882.  Yet after four straight defeat at the parlimentary level the Labourites now have a new party leader who appears to be less popular than Eddie Seaga. Bruce Golding, is a career politician who has been deliberately calculating and unorthodox on his road to Jamaica House. His strategy since being appointed leader of the opposition has been sober but he is somewhat stodgy.  He remains highly critical of the PNP leadership. Yet, his proposals have been unappealing for the most part.

Golding is strong on constitutional reforms which at most mean a change from the westminister model of Government, the application of term limits and a set election date.  For Jamaica to be in the state of crisis, his proposals are encouraging, but lack substance. The appointment of an independent advisory board on security , charter of rights, overhauling libel laws, employing a special coroner. The like of which sounds like a shopping list from a Government consultant. He needs to distinguish himself as being a political leader with solutions to the nations problems. Jamaicans need to understand the stakes that are up for grabs should they decide to change government. The JLP's successful islandwide protests against the rise in cost of living in September 2005 was a start toward identifying with the people who have the most to gain or lose. What is it, right now, that make the JLP more capable of leading Jamaicans into the 21st century?