Nothing new, say political analysts labelled by G2K

Anastasia Cunningham, Senior Gleaner Writer

Political analysts accused of being hostile towards the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) say they are not fazed by the stance of Generation 2000 (G2K), the young professional arm of the party, against them and the media.

G2K President Delano Seiveright yesterday named specific commentators and analysts during a press conference at the JLP's Belmont Road, New Kingston, headquarters claiming that they are biased against the governing party.

G2K said the JLP Government has had to deal with "a media where several sections are dominated by persons hostile and/or politically biased against the administration".

Three analysts named were Richard Dickie Crawford, Lambert Brown and Garnett Roper, who Seiveright accused of being supporters of the People's National Party (PNP).

Most unfortunate

"It is most unfortunate because Delano, the G2K, and the JLP have been down this road before. It is a periodic issue that they raise every time that their fortunes seem to be sagging, and I would imagine it makes for exciting copy to call some names and label them as biased or supporters of another political party," Crawford told The Gleaner yesterday.

He said the insincerity of the claim was patently obvious, with a general election around the corner.

Crawford noted he was quite interested to know how the G2K proposed to deal with Everald Warmington, Karl Samuda and other members of the JLP leadership who were expressing the same sentiments as the political analysts and watchers they were criticising.

He expressed that in the past, several organisations - including The Gleaner, civil servants, unions, public-sector employees and the Church - have had their fair share of attacks once they dared to criticise the party or its leader.

"It is par for the course in our tribal political society," Crawford said.

In his response to G2K, Brown said, "All they are doing is what Bruce Golding told them to do in 2009."

He added: "I am not fazed by it. My objectivity stands, but it would appear to me that, just as Hitler and his Brown Shirt people, the G2K is becoming the 'Green Shirt' of the JLP and freedom of speech, opinion and expression is clearly under threat, but that doesn't faze me. I will continue to do the things I do in the name of the people and the country."

The G2K said that starting this week, it plans to roll out a special programme aimed at "letting the Jamaican people understand that the JLP is the best party to lead, transform and develop this country".

anastasia.cunningham@gleanerjm.com