Portia, Bruce and trust

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Tuesday | August 14, 2007

Vernon Daley

During the leadership debate on Saturday night, my telephones rang without letting up. My friends and colleagues in the Caribbean and the U.S. were constantly calling to express dismay at what they felt was the poor showing of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller against Opposition Leader Bruce Golding.

One of my Barbadian colleagues sent me a text message which simply read: "Vernon, Portia is pathetic".

I don't agree she was pathetic, but there is no doubt that Golding came out far ahead of her in his grasp of the issues, his presentation of arguments and even his portrayal of sincerity.

The Prime Minister didn't suffer a political collapse on television, as many were expecting, but she still failed to present herself as someone with a clear vision about what she wanted to do for the country and how she would accomplish it. The Prime Minister is asking for her own mandate, but it doesn't seem she plans to change much from the Patterson years.

Saying she wants to balance people's lives is not going to be sufficient to hold those voters who are looking for something more than fancy sound bites.

Possibly, the Prime Minister's lowest moment during the debate was her failed attempt to rescue the floundering Phillip Paulwell from public opprobrium. In that rescue mission she harmed her credibility.

Looking a bit foolish

With such a long list of mishaps attached to his stewardship, Paulwell should have long been out of the Cabinet and the Prime Minister looked a bit foolish by suggesting otherwise. She said he had not been availed because of his loyalty to her, but not many people would have bought that.

Also, this constant reference to the Minister as a young man is disturbing. The Minister is now in his mid-forties and long past the age when his acts and omissions can be excused on the basis of youthful exuberance. Try again, Madam PM!

The Prime Minister's best stroke of the evening, was her response to Lloyd B. Smith's question that dealt with Jamaica's relationship with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and the U.S. government. It was a clear answer which was reflective of the generally coherent and principled foreign policy positions for which Jamaica and most of our neighbours in the Caribbean Community have come to be known.

Golding dealt with the issue of trust quite well when the matter arose. The governing People's National Party (PNP) has sought to use his departure from and return to, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to suggest that he is a flip-flopper but his explanation was direct and pointed: he left over principle, he came back on principle.

Business of garrisons

People were looking for sincerity from the debates and I think the Opposition Leader managed to convey to some of those still on the fence that he was willing to be upfront about the nasty aspects of our politics, especially the business of political garrisons.

When the dust settled, Golding came out looking a far more genuine politician than the Prime Minister which can't be a good thing for the PNP camp.

Overall, the three leadership debates were very useful. They were entertaining and informative and maybe a few people might just have used them to decide whether to change course or not.

Despite criticisms of the panels, the questions were generally good and touched the issues which people most wanted to hear the leaders address. The debates can only get better over time and those who made them happen are to be congratulated.