I like politics, not the representational bit, just really studying how politicians operate. For some time I lost interest in politics and would only occasionally comment on our political affairs.
Leading up to, and following the 2016 general elections in Jamaica, me realise me start to pay attention again. I’m paying attention for two primary reasons:
1. The soft revolution that is taking place in the JLP
2. The slow pace at which the PNP is getting rid of its arrogance
A new election cycle will soon be upon us, and I think the JLP is positioning itself to win a second term – something it hasn’t been able to do since the early 80s (though they were ‘handed’ their last second term).
One of the things that we learn in our exploration of political culture is how power, money, the people, the politicians and the systems work.
The JLP is teaching itself (finally) to understand, listen, and respond to the people – the people who will be motivated to vote, usually for selfish reasons, whether it’s because of a tax break, a salary increase, better roads, equitable access to education, better laws, the appearance of gender equality, respect for diversity in the leadership, a reduction in crime etc.
It is really about the sometimes few things we value. So if someone places high value on constitutional reform, progressive taxation, gender equality, and low crime rates, if a party delivers on even two out of the four, it is likely that such a person will give the incumbent a second run.
People who understand political culture will understand that they just need to find one or two issues that are important to different categories of people and deliver on those issues. So if you identify say six categories of people who can win you the majority of your seats in parliament, all you need to do is find the one or two issues that are important to those six categories of people and they’re ‘sold’ on you.
Once you do that, and do it well (meaning yu attitude nuh stink and yu nuh tek people fi fool in de most arrogant ways, cuz Jamaicans don’t like arrogance and such), the rest of it – the power, the money, the systems – will work for you the politician, benefitting the party. And victory is yours. It nuh easy, but if yu get it, yu know how fi work it. Some pundits like to say all politics is local, but I prefer to stick with those who say all politics is psychological.
You always have to win the people first.
If you win the people, the money will roll in from the funders (the corrupt ones and the less corrupt ones plus the crowd funding ones).
If you win the people, the power brokers (including those with the power of language, communication and media) will stack in your favour and will position you for victory.
If you win the people, the systems will always work in your favour, because once you win the people you have control over the systems, and you can manipulate the systems to your advantage (even in opposition).
The soft revolution that I see taking place in the JLP is because a few people in the party seem to have recognised the importance of ‘winning the people’ and ‘winning with the people’. And some of the most influential JLP MPs in both houses of parliament are willing to l.i.s.t.e.n., even to current and former comrades. Mind you, not everyone is listening, but enough of the ones people pay attention to, are listening. And people love people who listen.
The PNP on the other hand is still woefully affected by arrogance, especially the arrogance of some of its least charming but well-known and popular comrades. I believe the party is ‘losing the people’ and ‘losing with the people’ because of this arrogance. And if they are losing with the people it means they do not have enough influential voices within the party who understand Jamaica’s current political culture. In many ways the party has personified the arrogance of Seaga when he was too stubborn to leave.
Now if you’re losing with the people, I believe you will lose everywhere else even if you still believe this is ‘PNP country’. Remember we don’t like stinking attitude people and we don’t like when people tek wi fi fool. And right now I feel like the PNP has too many stinking attitude people (including the soft-spoken ones) trying to tek people fi fool, and are being given spaces and platforms from which to speak. And the public not hearing enough from those within the party who are committed to renewal.
Woman to woman and man to man, I don’t believe much difference in expertise (or the lack thereof) exists between the two major political parties and who’s in, or would be in their respective cabinets. But the JLP seems to appreciate the value of listening more than the PNP does. In my opinion, for example, Floyd listens more than Lisa. Tufton listens more than Ferguson. Ruel listens more than Ronnie. Kamina listens more than AJ. Andrew listens more than Portia/Peter. All Audley listen more than Peter.
While on the flip side, in my opinion, only in two instances you have folks from the PNP listening more than the JLP: Mark listens more than Chuck and Julian listens more than Wheatley.
The PNP needs to fix this if they intend to win the next general election. Peter is already more unattractive than Andrew for multiple reasons, so the party has to learn to give more space and platforms to the few people in the shadow cabinet who willing to listen. It also needs to give more spaces and platforms to members of the party who can ‘win the people’ and ‘win with the people’.
I don’t know much about their communications team, but, but, but, me know it need some serious work, probably the same kinda work Lazarus needed.
I will be watching to see how the PNP shapes up for the next election cycle, cuz me know de JLP a goh hard. And when dem goh hard, election nice fi observe and analyse.
Latoya Nugent 
Thoughts?