Golding - file
THE EDITOR: Sir,
ON FEBRUARY 20, Senator Bruce Golding was elevated to the position of leader of the Jamaica Labour Party and in my view was the most qualified candidate within a party plagued by years of electoral failures, bitter divisions and internal fightings.
Mr. Golding at present enjoys widespread popularity across the nation largely inspired and supported by the media which highly touts him as possessing the wisdom and vision of the leader needed to restore a broken JLP to its former pride and glory and to successfully lead the party to form the next Government of Jamaica.
However as a realist, and a former student of political science at the UWI, I am guided by my knowledge of political history and thus refuse to masquerade or be a part of the current euphoria largely created and latched unto by the institutional media captive to its own zeal for sensationalism.
Thus, while Mr. Golding's pronouncements have been good and while he has been statesmanlike in his speeches, as a serious student of politics, I must ask the following pointed questions.
FORMER ROLES
What is his (Mr. Golding's) track record as a leader? How did he perform in his former roles as chairman of the JLP and as leader of the NDM? What is his track record and how did he perform as MP for Central St. Catherine? When he was Minister of Construction what did he do?
History will recall a Mr. Golding who abandoned his leadership position in the Jamaica Labour Party in 1995 at a critical point in the party's life and a Mr. Golding who later went on to form the National Democratic Movement only to walk out of his important position as President, a few years later, also at a critical point in that party's life. History also recalls Mr. Golding's failure to address the poverty and the lawlessness which existed in Central St. Catherine during his tenure as member of Parliament.
And history also recalls that with Bruce Golding as minister of construction for the entire period between 1980 and 1989 the JLP government built a total of just 11,000 houses in the entire Jamaica. Of the 11,000, 7,000 were already started and contracted out to the Matalon Group prior to the 1980 elections. Simple subtraction tells us that the JLP under Bruce Golding's stewardship built from scratch a total of only 4,000 houses. Can we afford to be oblivious to these records?
PAINTING A PICTURE
Mr. Golding in his speeches today skilfully paints a wonderful picture of his vision for Jamaica, yet many of the recommendations that he puts forward are initiatives, programmes and policies that are already being implemented by the current administration thus he is offering nothing new.
The position of leadership for any nation demands a considerable measure of strength, vision, wisdom and conviction, a firm and decisive individual who is able to exercise sound and clear judgement and be unshakeable especially in the inevitable moment of crisis.
I have the utmost respect and admiration for Mr. Golding and I remember my grandmother's wise words, a man's life should not be judged by a single failure or a solitude of success but if history is any indicator, given Mr. Golding's record can we ever risk putting the faith and hope of our country and our people in his hands as leader?
I am, etc.,
CONCERNED
justseant@yahoo.com
New Jersey, USA
Via Go-Jamaica
