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Bruce, hands down - PM short on facts, Opposition Leader more convincing
Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Sunday | August 12, 2007
Daraine Luton and Edmond Campbell, Sunday Gleaner Reporters
The two persons seeking to lead the country after the August 27 General Election - Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Opposition Leader Bruce Golding - clashed in a leadership debate last night; and, according to analysts, Golding was more comfortable and convincing in addressing the issues.
Northern Caribbean University lecturer, Charlene Sharpe-Pryce, said that Golding spoke with confidence, knowledge and an understanding of the issues, and "came across as being very honest, sincere and committed".
'Fair' performance
She assessed Simpson Miller's performance as "fair", but argued that the People's National Party (PNP) president was short on facts. "She was not speaking with the sort of understanding of the complexity of the issues," said Sharpe-Pryce. "She answered questions on her performance in the party, as opposed to the PNP on the whole."
Economic analyst, Keith Collister, said Golding was unmoved, despite facing tough questions on garrisons and trust. However, he said Simpson Miller appeared uncertain as to how to deal with questions concerning financing, and "Very weak when dealing with the corruption issue, specifically Minister (Phillip) Paulwell's retention in her government".
Golding, who is the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), used his opening statement to bemoan what he called the failure of the PNP to effectively govern the country.He claimed that since 1989, with the exception of the first two years, Jamaica had never experienced as much as three per cent in economic growth in two consecutive years. He added that the country had accumulated some 460,000 unemployed persons; Jamaica's debt burden had risen to $550 million per day; and the murder rate had moved from 413 persons in 1988 to 1,500 at one stage. Golding also lamented the fact that many persons left school without being able to read or write.
"We cannot continue to operate like this. We can do better than this," he said, adding that the JLP had designed a set of strategies "to lead Jamaica out of this slump".
In her opening remarks, Simpson Miller said she was a leader who had the interest of the Jamaican people at heart.
"That is why I implemented programmes to ensure that while balancing the books, I balance people's lives," she said. "This is a leader who cares about her people."
She added that Jamaicans must not just listen to the negative voices which say the country has achieved nothing.
"We have achieved much, but there are plenty more things to do and that's why I want to stay on course on development, so that I can create wealth and we will work towards wealth creation, job creation, so that we can lift the Jamaican family," Simpson Miller said.
Credibility issue
Among the issues she raised were that of Golding's credibility, arising out of his movement from the JLP to the National Democratic Movement, and back to the JLP; crime reduction in the country, stimulating economic growth; and anti-corruption. Golding responded by saying that he had no trust issue to answer to, arguing that former Prime Ministers P.J. Patterson and Michael Manley had flip-flopped on their promises to the Jamaican people.
Simpson Miller, whose intellectual ability was challenged by members of her party in a bruising presidential race last year, could not escape the question as to how she expects to be viewed by Jamaicans now. The Prime Minister, who stoutly defended the decision to have the problem-plagued Commerce and Industry Minister Phillip Paulwell in her Cabinet, said that if her colleagues were to be asked about how they feel about her now, "they will tell you they could never have found a better leader".
Golding said that he would not make any commitment about a JLP government increasing taxes to fund the proposals in his party's manifesto, but he noted that the way forward was to ensure that the country's economy grows.
Simpson Miller, meanwhile, warned that Golding should not be trusted and said that if he and the JLP took power, there would be chaos in the country. Golding then blasted the PNP for being unwilling to take stringent anti-corruption measures.
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