From left, Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, Peter Bunting, Andrew Gallimore and Fenton Ferguson

Daraine Luton, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

The leadership of both major political parties in Jamaica is greying at the temples.

Portia Simpson Miller, leader of the People's National Party (PNP), and Bruce Golding, leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), are already in their 60s. Within a decade or so, they are expected to lead other members of their party to the departure lounge to board the train driven by Father Time.

When they leave, Richard Crawford, University of the West Indies lecturer, says the new set of party leaders must be ready to overhaul the political system.

Little participation

Crawford believes that too many persons are not participating in the political process as a result of the way politics has been practised over the years.

"A very important part of our development is to get those persons who do not participate in the system to do so. This is important for democracy and it is the job of the next set of leaders," Crawford argues.

Approximately 60 per cent of registered electors stayed home in the 2007 General Election. Voter turnout has remained in the 60 per cent range since 1989 when 77.9 per cent of the population voted.

"The way politics has been practised over the years has made many people believe that politics is not relevant to their lives. Future leaders have got to change that," Crawford tells The Sunday Gleaner.

Future leaders?

But just where will these future leaders come from?

Troy Caine, political historian and analyst, claims more potential leaders are to be found in the JLP than in the PNP.

"People are now looking at the Jamaica Labour Party as the more viable in terms of leadership," Caine says.

"They have a lot more young people with qualities to lead the party - more so than the PNP," Caine adds.

He lists possible future JLP leaders as Dr Christopher Tufton, 40; Andrew Holness, 36; Robert Montague, 41; James Robertson, 42; Clive Mullings; Andrew Gallimore, 43; and Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert.

"These are all bright persons who have demonstrated so far that they are competent, and if they continue in the present vein, could end up leading the party," Caine suggests.

JLP square-off

He believes that the 61-year-old Bruce Golding would depart as leader of the JLP in about 10 years and by then, Holness and Dr. Tufton could square off for the leadership of the JLP.

However, Caine finds it difficult to identify two persons in the PNP who would present a hot challenge for presidency of that party.

He argues that the PNP is a party that nourishes successive leaders and that when current leader, Portia Simpson Miller, Dr. Peter Phillips and Dr. Omar Davies, as well as the Peart brothers - Dean and Michael - leave, the PNP might struggle to find a suitable replacement.

"Not a lot of persons right now are being promoted as a future party leader and this is because Portia's character and personality are so overpowering," Caine says.

Caine lists Peter Bunting; Lisa Hanna, 33; Donald Rhodd, 51; Morais Guy, 52; Fenton Ferguson, 57; and Basil Waite, 32, as possible PNP leaders down the road.

"Peter Bunting could surface as a leader. In Bunting, the Comrades are seeing an equal to a Golding," Caine says.

He adds: "If somebody like Hanna decides to stick with it, she could end up being the second female leader of the party."

However, the shortage of potential leaders in the PNP is not an argument that Crawford buys. He tells The Sunday Gleaner that neither party has the advantage in terms of future leaders.

Likely pnp leader

Crawford sees Bunting as a likely future PNP leader, as well as Hanna, Ian Hayles, 35; and Luther Buchanan, 40. On the JLP side, he believes Holness, Montague and Tufton have projected themselves as persons qualified to lead that party.

The names Horace Dalley and Wykeham McNeill in the PNP also came up for mention.

"Unlike in the past, when there were heirs apparent to party leadership, there is no such thing now, (which) is a very good thing," Crawford argues.

"What it means, therefore, is that these young persons will have to distinguish themselves as leaders who are willing to listen and to take a fresh approach to building Jamaica," says Crawford.

Political leadership and challenges