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?

Jamaica's Christian majority urged to support Simpson Miller

Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has attempted to assure the public that her unabashed references to Christianity since being appointed, are not intended to force the religion onto the nation’s people.

The Prime Minister’s comments came on the weekend in response to ongoing criticisms of, among other frequent references to God, her announcement last month that she intends to appoint pastors to state boards.

"I don’t want to impose my spirituality on anyone – that is for me," Mrs. Simpson Miller said to thunderous applause during the prophetic conference of the Word of Life Ministries International, held Sunday night at the Hilton Kingston hotel, New Kingston. "And I don’t want anyone to judge me, lest they be judged."

The Prime Minister added: "I am of the belief that Christian values are good for this nation. When I publicly express my Christian faith, I don’t mean to put anybody down who is not a Christian or to impose my belief on anyone. I believe the God of the Bible is the true God."

She said, however, that no leader could succeed without the support of the majority and, therefore, she was seeking the assistance of those present.

"You are strategically placed where you can help with the re–socialisation of our communities in this country," Mrs. Simpson Miller said.

The Prime Minister added that the country needs the church because it instils family values that can help rid the country of crime and violence. She said that if people forgave more, there would be fewer murders.

However, the Prime Minister said Christianity is not the only religion that teaches these values.

She said all religious groups have similar morals, but Christianity has "lift(ed) the bar high" because it teaches people to plan, strategise, work and pray.

Mrs. Simpson Miller also challenged the church to make its teachings more relevant to the needs of the country.

"The few critics believe Christianity is just about religious dogma, rituals, ceremony and praying. We have to show how the Christian faith relates to all the practical problems which this country faces," she said.

Source:  http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1012654