EDITORIAL - Yes, Mr Golding should leave now

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has signalled that he will step down "in a matter of days" rather than weeks, as he had originally planned. He should.

Indeed, the prime minister anticipated, by a day, the recommendation of this newspaper, which we, nonetheless, reinforce. Our view that Mr Golding should go sooner, rather than later, is not merely a wish to hurriedly see the back of the PM. Rather, it is an expression of what we believe, in the circumstance, is in the best interest of Jamaica.

Indeed, it is clear that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has coalesced around Mr Andrew Holness, the 39-year-old education minister, to be its next leader, hoping that the initial attractiveness of his youth - and, as his supporters add, level-headedness - will translate into an election victory.

Mr Holness, at least his public posture, has already assumed the persona of party leader and is being treated as such. So, the JLP annual conference on November 19 will be merely for Mr Holness' coronation as the JLP's boss.

Lame-duck status

But that is five weeks away - a relatively long time in the affairs of a country, especially one that faces many challenges, whose resolution, as Mr Golding declared, demands "absolute confidence in the authority" of its leadership. Despite his best efforts, given his lame-duck status, Mr Golding does not enjoy that authority, and not only because of the baggage he carries.

In fact, the greater likelihood is that his party and Government, much like the country, have moved past Mr Golding's leadership as they anticipate Mr Holness'. Yet, Mr Holness has no constitutional authority to make decisions of the kind that are in the province of prime ministers. And no matter how he attempts to act in concert with his ordained successor, Mr Golding will inevitably be constrained in acting, especially on the big policy matters.

The status of Jamaica's unmoored standby agreement is one of those big issues to be dealt with. Indeed, rescuing that agreement will require tough and unpopular economic action - whoever forms the government.

No need to delay

Mr Holness, therefore, needs to be urgently in a position to determine whether he wishes to begin to tackle those matters, with credibility and seriousness, during the rest of the constitutionally legal period that this administration can exist.

Conversely, he may wish to seek a new and strong mandate from the Jamaican people to pursue the necessary action required to deal with the country's unsustainable debt, which is 130 per cent of gross domestic product. That, in turn, will require reduction of the fiscal deficit, which means cutting spending, including on public-sector wages.

Our own preference is for Jamaica to be quickly in a position to give concentrated attention to these knotty economic problems, which can best happen with a government that has a clear and strong mandate, represented, in part, by a parliamentary majority that allows it operational flexibility.

A relatively early election, therefore, makes sense, the campaign for which should take issues such as fixing the macroeconomy, and the pain associated therewith, off the table of partisan dispute. What should be put to the people is how these will be done in the shortest period, with the greatest efficacy and the returns to be expected for the investment.