Perspective: PNP’s Dirty Politics 70s Style Campaign Backfires … “Cock Mouth Kills Cock?”

The People’s National Party (PNP) had encouraged under Michael Manley a dirty stlye, mean spirited political campaign labelled “My “Leader Born Ya … in 1976 “.  That is to say their political leader then Michael Manley was Jamaican. It was very effective and was geared at putting down then JLP leader Edward Seaga, who was born outside Jamaica.

State Of Emergency

The PNP also imposed/declared an illegal State of Emergency in 1976,  in which Speaker Pearnell Charles and Olivia “Babsy” Grange among others, were detained. A dark period in Jamaican political landscape. They later apologized for same.

Sworn Alignence

Seaga was born in USA, so was not Jamaican. He was born to naturalized Jamaican parents. Seaga later became a Jamaican.  The PNP campaign with catchy lyrics took the place like a California wildfire. The PNP insisted that Seaga swore loyalty to a foreign power.

In 2007 after the JLP’s narrow 3 or 4 seat victory that brought PM Bruce Golding to power the PNP launched court battles, hoping to overthrow legally via the Courts by unseating victorious MPs Daryl Vaz, Shanine Robinson, Michael Stern, to name a few.  Claiming that they were dual citizens and therefore were not by law eligible to be nominated or made MPS. It did cost the JLP MPs millions of dollars to settle and by-elections had to be held to rerun the affected seats. It was a messy issue, low down act, although not illegal. Abe Daboub, a lawyer and losing PNP candidate was hoping to get the seat automatically by the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice ruled otherwise. A by-election was held to resolve the issue.

Oh Canada!

Fast forward to 2017 and the unthinkable has happened. A Canadian Dr. Shane Alexis has been nominated by the PNP to be their candidate in an upcoming by election set for 30 th October 2017 in South East St. Mary, won by the PNP by 5 votes in the 2016 general elections. The seat became vacant due to the death of Dr. Winston Green, PNP, MP. Alexis came to Jamaica at age 2 born to Jamaican parents and studied medicine in Cuba. He does not hold a Jamaican passport. Dr. Alexis “stands on guard” for Canada.

This is a clear case of double standards. It was wrong for the JLP but okay for us the PNP to have a dual citizen candidate who could be elected to Parliament is fine if he won the by-election. Polls are pointing to a landslide win for the JLP candidate Dr. Norman Dunn, a born Jamaican.

Moral High Ground

We urge the PNP to take the moral high ground and stop the “hypocrisy” according to JLP MP Daryl Vaz who had to renounce his USA citizenship because of the PNP’s urging and nagging. Ironically it was another dual citizen named Rowe, a citizen of Canada who the PNP chose to contest the by-election in West Portland against Daryl Vaz of the JLP.  Incidentally, Abe Dabdoub was not selected to contest the said seat for the PNP.

We hope Dr. Shane Alexis will do the right thing and get a Jamaican passport.  Labourites insist that a win for Dr. Dunn, a native of South East St. Mary, and a born Jamaican … is a “Dunn deal” they loudly assert. Dunn deserves the victory as he is straight. How could Dr. Peter Phillips, Opposition Leader make such a blunder?
What is your perspective? This is ours.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International Correspondent & photojournalist for Vision Newspaper. Also has watched Jamaican politics for over 50 years.