Now to the orange elephant

Gordon Robinson, Contributor

Once, in a faraway land, a popular and long-serving prime minister who had led his party to many election victories decided to call it a day.

Pursuant to the country's unusual governance system, his party delegates voted for a new party leader who was then force-fed to the nation as an unelected prime minister for the remainder of the government's term. At the very next general election, the party was voted out. Within a week, the prime minister made a public statement which included the following:

"I would, however, like to say something also about my own position.

If it becomes clear that the national interest, which is stable and principled government, can be best served by forming a coalition ... then I believe I should discharge that duty to form that government which would, in my view, command a majority in the House ... .

"But I have no desire to stay in my position longer than is needed to ensure the path to economic growth is assured and the process of political reform we have agreed moves forward quickly.

"The reason that we have a hung Parliament is that no single party and no single leader was able to win the full support of the country.

"As leader of my party, I must accept that that is a judgment on me.

"I, therefore, intend to ask the Labour Party to set in train the processes needed for its own leadership election ... .

"I will play no part in that contest. I will back no individual candidate ... ."

By now, you will have realised I am talking about the United Kingdom - not Jamaica. Shame on those who felt I was somehow parodying the People's National Party (PNP)! The United Kingdom is a civilised democracy with an outdated electoral system protected from abuse by the size of its Parliament and the honour and integrity of the persons who, in the main, take part. There, 1,000 years of trial and error have taught the Brits the value of humility in public service. If you cherish democracy, you must respect the will of the people.

Gordon Brown was prepared to do so even in the face of the fact that there remained a hope that his party could be a part of a coalition government with the power brokers, the third-place Liberal Democrats. This was irrelevant to the fact staring him in the face, based on the voting, that he had been rejected as prime minister. He has acted accordingly.

"Come gather 'round people

wherever you roam

and admit that the waters

around you have grown

and accept it that soon

you'll be drenched to the bone.

If your time to you

is worth savin'

then you better start swimmin'

or you'll sink like a stone.

For the times they are a-changin'."

borrowed system

Now, let us contrast Gordon Brown's reaction to the will of the British electorate with our own Portia Simpson Miller's. She, too, was thrust into the role of prime minister solely by her party's delegates, thanks to an equally weird but borrowed system of governance that allows Jamaica to be governed by unelected leaders. At the first opportunity, the Jamaican electorate rejected her and her party. Her first reaction was to refuse to concede defeat on the night of the election. Then, she has mulishly stuck fast as leader of the PNP, apparently with every intention of forcing a captive electorate to return her to office as the only alternative in the event that it becomes fed up with the incumbent. Not one single member of the 'free' press in Jamaica has taken her to task for this contumelious act of disrespect for the electorate.

"Come writers and

critics

who prophesise with

your pens

and keep your eyes

wide

the chance won't come again.

And don't speak too soon

for the wheel's still in spin.

And there's no tellin' who

that it's namin'.

For the loser now

will be later to win.

For the times they are a-changin'."

She does not accept the electorate's will and stubbornly fights on. This forces her party into an undignified public display of disunity in the form of a leadership challenge. Not one single representative of the people who rejected her now preening themselves in Parliament has taken her to task for her undemocratic behaviour.

"Come senators, congressmen

please heed the call.

Don't stand in the doorway

don't block up the hall.

For he that gets hurt

will be he who has stalled.

There's a battle outside ragin'.

It'll soon shake your windows

and rattle your walls.

For the times they are a-changin'."

The same like-minded PNP delegates who put her there in the first place also fail to act in accordance with the general electorate's will and obstinately return her as PNP leader. Is Portia more important than democracy?

"The line it is drawn.

The curse it is cast.

The slow one now

will later be fast

as the present now

will later be past.

The order is rapidly fadin'.

And the first one now

will later be last

For the times they are a-changin'."

political blood

The cacophony, mainly driven by self-interest, that has predictably been baying for political blood, is urgently demanding new elections. Keen observers can actually see the saliva dripping from the mouths of PNP spokesmen as they contemplate an early return to the feeding trough. But, why would we want elections? To reject Driva? But, to do so, we must accept the already rejected and undemocratically acting Portia. What will Prime Minister Portia do differently this time? It is she who, when asked about the Trafigura matter, told journalists, "ask the PNP." Out of which side of her mouth is she now talking? Why didn't she speak on the earlier crucial issues regarding the extradition request itself? Do the tentacles of underworld "business" embrace all regardless of political affiliation just as the more socially acceptable political contributions of the "official" private sector benefit both parties? Before the GOJ's volte face in signing the Authority to Proceed, the only public demonstration for 'Presi' was by PNP supporters from Hannah Town.

So, if we are prepared to think clearly, without the usual dose of sophistry and obfuscation that characterises local political discussion, we will stop calling for a useless, expensive process that cannot address the real issues. What is the point of an election before there is a new Constitution that makes our leaders accountable to us? What is the point of an election if the 'winner' can dismiss our elected parliament as arrogantly as Driva did when he announced inflexibly that he was the only one entitled to mention Jamaica Labour Party matters?

The ONLY WAY FORWARD for Jamaica is a new Constitution entrenching term limits for leaders; limits on powers (especially borrowing and spending); a proper parliamentary system of separation of powers, including an elected senate on the basis of proportional representation; a requirement that MPs live in their constituencies; and impeachment procedures for breaches of rules or ethics. Then we need legislation with limits on campaign financing making parties' funding and spending subject to public audit.

I could go on and on (the full has never been told).

"Come mothers and fathers

throughout the land.

And don't criticise

what you can't understand.

Your sons and your daughters

are beyond your command

Your old road is rapidly agin'.

Please get out of the new one

if you can't lend your hand.

For the times they are a-changin'."

anthem for change

These lyrics, written by living legend Bob Dylan in September 1963, were recorded shortly before the Kennedy assassination. He said he wanted to create an anthem for change for that moment and insisted that the last verse "were the only words I could find to separate aliveness from deadness. It had nothing to do with age".

Sensing a real chance for an early return to power, Portia is singing a different tune. On May 16, she told a PNP audience including some of the same delegates who spat in the face of democracy, "Any leader, at whatever level of the PNP, must see this as a wake-up call and learn from it. Each one of us must reflect on the leadership roles we play. We must review the values, attitudes, morals and ethics that we bring to the leadership we offer."

My, my! Damascus must be nearby. She went on:

"The standards of conduct demanded of our leaders have changed. The bar has been raised ... . Our introspection must begin with the recognition that Jamaicans are hurting deep, deep down inside. Each and every one of us must use this opportunity to ensure that we meet the expectations of the Jamaican people, consistent with the ideals and principles on which this noble party was founded."

Nice-sounding words, as usual. But Norman Washington Manley's deeds included calling an election he was certain to lose because of the electorate's no-confidence vote (Federation referendum) in him and his government. Anyone can speak of ideals and principles. Now you must act on those ideals.

Two days after the recent election in Trinidad, Patrick Manning wrote to the People's National Movement in these terms:

"The General Election of May 2010 did not result in victory for the People's National Movement. As political leader, I accept full responsibility for this result. I am of the view that the party should in these circumstances now proceed to elect a new political leader in the shortest possible time and in accordance with the party's constitution.

"To facilitate this process, I hereby resign from the office of political leader."

Over to you, Portia. This is the large orange elephant in YOUR room. Are YOU "big enough to recognise it, mature enough to admit it and strong enough to address it?"

Peace and love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.