Holness, Golding hold first discussions in renewed Vale Royal Talks

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader, Andrew Holness, and People's National Party (PNP) president, Mark Golding, on Sunday resumed the Vale Royal Talks focusing their three-hour discussion on issues of national security and constitutional reform.

The meeting was facilitated by the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches.

A joint communique issued after the discussions said Holness pledged to ensure continuation of the talks, which had stalled for some time.

It said Holness also expressed optimism that the talks will foster greater consensus on challenging national issues, noting that the previous discussions were successful in achieving some understanding of critical national matters.

“We may not always be able to address these critical issues and ventilate them properly in Parliament, but we can ventilate them here at the political level. These talks have now become a part of Jamaica's democratic institutional tradition and they have been very useful for the political parties to find space which is created for discussions under the Chatham House rules. It contributes positively to the building of a modern positive political culture and gives us a free space to talk about the important issues of the country," he stated.

Holness added that the parties "intend to utilise the talks to advance the resolution of the contentious issues that divide us in the interest of the people of Jamaica. The Vale Royal Talks is a signal to the country that their political leaders maintain an open dialogue to resolve the major issues that concern them."

Meanwhile, Golding said the fact that there may be disagreement on some issues should not be regarded as hindrance to dialogue, national unity and effective governance. 

"It is a question of how we resolve those differences, and the manner in which we conduct ourselves in bringing our points of view forward, that I think is important. By deliberately embracing this approach, the population can learn from our leaders how to resolve issues where there is not necessarily agreement," Golding stated.

He said the Opposition PNP had a duty to the public to hold the Government to account and to represent an alternative view regarding how Jamaica should move forward.

"The manner in which we do that is very important because it needs to underpin national development and be part of a positive thrust towards stronger nationhood and deepening our democracy rather, than something that undermines progress,” he continued.

The JLP's delegation included JLP General Secretary Dr Horace Chang, JLP Chairman Robert Montague, Marlene Malahoo Forte and Robert Nesta Morgan.

The PNP delegation included Chairman Dr Angela Brown Burke, General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell, Peter Bunting and Donna Scott Mottley.

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