In retrospect - Seaga: Wise or ignorant in his utterances
By Paul Andrew Bourne
The Most Honourable Edward George Phillip Seaga, leader of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has been battered, bruised and left for dead. Nevertheless, like a Phoenix, he is still searching for one last reign at the helm. However, despite the seemingly unwitting approaches that he has taken in the past, the letter to Bruce Golding, party Chairman, in regards his resignation is simply leveling the playing field. Wow!
Although Mr. Seaga knows that Bruce is a winnable candidate and is equally loved and admired by the Jamaican populace including the media, the fact the he (Mr. Seaga) wants a leader to emerge from an equal platform indicates the stance of this phoenix. He is gasping for a final blow of oxygen like the one left for dead - drowning. My reasons are twofold.
Firstly, the style of leadership that he has come to know best is one in which wars are fought and winners are crown there from. Where a leader is just not ordained likened to a priest or a right of heritage. However, supremacy of rule is established on the principles of democracy from autocracy. The leader is feared and reverence by all onlookers like Daniel in the lion’s den. Myth - …!
Secondly, although he is only 74 years young, he does not believe that the party that he has brought through countless battles like Joshua of old is not obligated to him for life. Hence, the time has still not come for him to left the helm. As such, an immediate departure will cost him a seemingly good retirement package. Therefore, he wants party Chairman to understand such a principled stance and not hasten his exists from active politics.
Therefore, seemingly Mr. Seaga contention is not so much so of relinquishing the reign of power but the is the reformists insensitivity to the higher call for appreciation for long service – giving him what he wants, when he want it. You may say that such a stance is ignorant, unwise or the timing is questionable; the fact that he does not see himself being an active politicians among the new thorough breads for much longer, all the better for any utterances.
I am proposing that Mr. Seaga letter to Bruce Golding, party Chairman of the JLP, not be held against him. Because he does not have the luxury of time on his side to capture the coveted crown of prime ‘minister ship’, therefore, the reformists should understand that stance taken by their leader.
Mr. Seaga’s misperception of the political landscape of Jamaica has once again misread the victory at the Local Government election in 2002. He cannot use that issue to usher in another reign at the helm. Mr. Seaga, on the other hand, is using the Local Government elections of 2002 as mileage in his favour to "not step aside, now." Hence, are Seaga’s utterances wise or ignorant?