With the true litmus test for the Jamaica Labour Party along with several other major shocks almost complete that being the Manatt Commission Enquiry and a runny mouth Member of Parliament who resigned to avoid being booted from the government benches due to foreign allegiance political football the Jamaica Labour Party has regained a critical seat with that of Mr. Warmington despite the firestorm and outrage from sections of the media about his boorish behaviour in general and specifically towards certain media practitioners. The JLP also won the local government polls as well.
Warmington and supporters celebrating his landslide victory
Preliminary count in the parliamentary by-election, Warmington received 5,891 votes, from 64
per cent of the voters in the constituency while former People's National Party Councillor Carlos Waul, who ran as an independent candidate, got 2,991 votes, 34 per cent of the electoral votes. ew Nation Coalition convener and anti gay former talkshow host Betty Ann Blaine managed 177 votes, earning two per cent of the constituency votes, while Ras Astor Black of Jamaica Alliance Movement (JAM) and Christopher Irons of the Marcus Garvey People's Political Party (MGPPP) both got one per cent of the constituency votes polling 46 and 60 votes respectively. However, of the 37,151 electoral voters in the constituency only 24.6 per cent came out to vote.
Could this be an indication that they may get a second term after all?
In the local government by-elections in Frankfield, Clarendon, Mundle won the division with 1,723 votes, to ward off a challenge from independent candidate Ewan Holness who earned 980 votes. The National Democratic Movement's Merlene Cameron got only 19 votes, less than one per cent of the 6,603 eligible voters in the division, which saw 41.2 per cent turning out. The PNP never contested. A double win for the JLP
The seat in South West St Catherine became vacant after Warmington resigned on March 8 after announcing that he was an American citizen at the time of his nomination for the September 2007 general election. The election in the Frankfield Division became necessary following the death of the JLP councillor, Caleb Lewinson, over a year ago.
Political parties in Jamaica have been known to get a kind of sympathy vote from the public after their first terms in office which is usually rocky for most as they re-arrange what the predecessors have to done to make their own mark. The party has since taken some serious blows during the Manatt enquiry as we know as the public has not seen one like this live from the conference centre a first of this kind of activity's history. I have a problem however with most of the lawyers representing both sides being politicians and sitting members of Parliament themselves which has some conflict of interest there but suffice it to say we can't change that
The seat in South West St Catherine became vacant after Warmington resigned on March 8 after announcing that he was an American citizen at the time of his nomination for the September 2007 general election. The election in the Frankfield Division became necessary following the death of the JLP councillor, Caleb Lewinson, over a year ago.
Political parties in Jamaica have been known to get a kind of sympathy vote from the public after their first terms in office which is usually rocky for most as they re-arrange what the predecessors have to done to make their own mark. The party has since taken some serious blows during the Manatt enquiry as we know as the public has not seen one like this live from the conference centre a first of this kind of activity's history. I have a problem however with most of the lawyers representing both sides being politicians and sitting members of Parliament themselves which has some conflict of interest there but suffice it to say we can't change that
now as there is nothing to stop that from happening however as with anything that involves the aforementioned creatures there is going to be positioning and straight out politics with an opposition using a loquacious MP K. D. Knight as their lead attorney and his aggressive style of cross examination making the JLP's handling of the Christopher Coke extradition matter poor and disingenuous.
It was obvious in the middle of the proceedings that the virtuous reason given to have the enquiry was to "search for truth" was nothing more than poppy cock and that it had to do with persuading a transfixed public to the soap opera to position their parties for the upcoming general elections constitutionally due in 2012. K. D's use of language and riffs in his tones while standing down a weak enquiry Chairman on his rulings worked to a certain extent as it provided daily entertainment for the public who were not used to seeing him wearing his hat as a lawyer in action. In essence there was a political campaign from both sides masked within the proceedings.
Words that will leave in infamy as shown in the Lasmay cartoon above as the lawyers juxtaposed for the bite of the day for the media headlines yet the corresponding FINSAC Commission of Enquiry is not getting the splash and dash as the Manatt one did, a commission that could have been used as the public relations tool to save the JLP for the next elections as one by one defunct financial institutions heads, directors and founders testify to the horrors they went through under the previous administration's high interest rate regime and the subsequent financial sector meltdown.
The pink element of all of this is the exclusion of lgbt rights and or recognition in the recently passed Charter of Rights one wonders what was the real reason for this haste in passing the bill that has been languishing on and off the books for some 19 years plus. Although I do not fully like the newspaper cartoon depicting the lgbt community as only JFLAG we understand the point being made but some questions come to mind:
1) will our vote be of any worth or will we make it worthwhile in the next general elections?
2) what are the alternatives from a seemingly impotent PNP opposition? who when convenient sides with the anti gay sentiments to suit their agenda yet that have overwhelming support form the lgbt community
3) if the opposition should win are we and the advocates (limp wristed as they are) prepared to bring real pressure to bear in amendments to the Charter to restore it to the previous draft that included some minor coverage for Jamaica lgbt people?
4) what if the Jamaica Labour Party returns to power for a second term what follow up pressure or strategy could we or should we adopt towards the inclusion of lgbt protections?
5) are we satisfied with the lack of community involvement by JFLAG on this matter acting as intermediary for us and government?
The unpredictability of the political landscape makes it difficult to answer yet again is the line in the sand for the JLP? who knows what next may occur as the old adage says a day in politics seems like a year. The people have spoken in both instances what say YOU with your pink dollar and vote(s)?
Also see from GLBTQJA Wordpress:
In These Mendacious Times ………. On K. D. Knight’s Take Off In The Manatt Enquiry
Peace and tolerance
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