Colin Steer, Associate Editor - Opinion

Prime Minister and president of the People's National Party Portia Simpson Miller's one month advance notice for Nomination Day and two months for Election Day is unusual but not unconstitutional. She acted well within the provisions of the law. But never mind the official reasons given, the dates announced raise questions about the Prime Minister's thinking.

Spiritual counsel

I would want to believe that at some- time in his spiritual counsel with the Prime Minister that Dr. Phillip Phinn would have referred her to the story in the book of Acts where another Phillip, one of the apostles, observed an Ethiopian official reading from the prophet Isaiah. According to the narrative, Phillip, directed by the Holy Spirit, drew near to the Ethiopian and asked him what has become a famous question from the Bible. "Do you understand what you are reading?"

I am left to wonder whether the Prime Minister understands either what she reads or hears regarding the Scriptures and the things of God about which she sometimes speaks glibly. She is seemingly engaged in a game of numerology that is potentially dangerous as it relates to governance. Mrs Simpson Miller reminded the crowd in Half-Way Tree on Sunday night that she is the country's seventh Prime Minister. Her naming of Nomination Day and Election Day with the numbers 7 and 27 suggests a child at play who has not fully grasped the rules of engagement. Of course, many Bible teachers refer to seven being the number of completion as depicted in certain events outlined in the Bible. Now the number 27 is not even a multiple of 7. But, the Prime Minister, for whatever reason, being unable to call the elections for the seventh month - July - has come up with the next best thing in the numbers game. The Scripture is being treated as a talisman.

MAKE CHANGES DUE TO POLLS

It was said that in the early days of his presidency, Bill Clinton shifted and changed policy according to what the opinion poll numbers were showing. It proved to be quite irresponsible. Is parliamentary and prime ministerial decision making in Jamaica now to be governed by numerology? Is this what we've been reduced to?

It was always the Prime Minister's prerogative to name the dates. Since there was a felt need to allow Parliament to complete its work on a specific piece of legislation relating to open voting, why not allow the House of Representatives and Senate to do their work and then announce the dates? What was the pressing need to announce Nomination Day one month in advance? Political pressure? Why carry electioneering into the week just before the opening of the new school year when many people are at their busiest? Many school administrators have been recruited to do work for the Electoral Office of Jamaica. How well will they be able to supervise preparations of their school plants and do their other civic duties?

This was not an astute move by the Prime Minister, but then again, any number can play, I suppose.

Meanwhile, Bruce Golding's immediate reaction was not particularly astute either. All he had to do was take the dates and run with them indicating his party's readiness to contest - assuming they are ready. This proposal that a fixed election date will causethe long-standing political tension and uncertainty to dissipate is oversold. All that is likely to happen in Jamaica is that much of the country's business is put on hold at least 12 months before the "set date" with a great deal of uncertainty and watching as to the possible outcome of the elections. Fixed dates fix nothing. Most countries do not have fixed dates and they get on with their electoral lives just fine. What we need is a more mature approach to politics that will give serious consideration to the issues that affect people's lives instead of the fluff to which we have become accustomed.