Sep 2011 Financial News

Golding going, going...

Sep 26, 2011

BRUCE Golding yesterday stunned the country and his ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) when he made public his decision to give up his positions as party leader and, following that, prime minister after the JLP's annual conference in November.

The finality of Golding's announcement was reinforced by Information Minister Daryl Vaz who, in response to the unanimous rejection of the JLP leader's decision by the party's Central Executive, said that Golding was not about to change his mind.

"The party leader addressed the Central Executive, he issued a statement, his statement stands," Vaz told the Observer. "The Central Executive can do what they want to do, because, obviously that's a part of the process. But the bottomline is that that statement... does not mean in any way, shape, or form that he has changed his mind. His position remains as it is."
Golding's announcement, which drew expressions of shock and surprise locally and overseas, was made at the quarterly meeting of the Central Executive, the JLP's highest decision-making body outside of annual conference.

A news release from Vaz shortly after 1:00 pm revealed that Golding said he would not be seeking re-election at the party's annual conference in November and will step down as prime minister as soon as a new leader has been elected.

"Mr Golding said he had planned to lead the party into a second term of government and demit office within two years thereafter," the news release said. "He said 'the challenges of the last four years have taken their toll and it was appropriate now to make way for new leadership to continue the programmes of economic recovery and transformation while mobilising the party for victory in the next general elections'."

That point was reinforced by Vaz in his interview with the Observer shortly after Golding's announcement was publicised.

"If you recall, on several occasions during these last few months I had indicated publicly that there was never going to be an issue with Bruce Golding being pushed out of the party, because he would always make a decision based on his own judgement as to what is best for the country, and what is best for the party. That has come to light. The fact is that he's been looking at this situation for some time," said Vaz, who revealed that Golding had shared his thoughts with a small group of advisors.

For more than two years Golding has weathered heavy flak over his Government's handling of the United States' extradition request for former Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

Kingston's refusal to grant the extradition request on the basis that evidence gathered by the US against Coke breached Jamaican law, as well as the JLP's engagement of a US law firm to lobby Washington in relation to the request, led to calls for Golding's resignation.

Coke was eventually captured, extradited, and has since pleaded guilty to racketeering in a New York Court. He is to be sentenced in December.

Yesterday, Vaz said that Golding arrived at his decision after listening to all the comments in relation to his prime ministership, as well as "his own gut feeling as to what was out there".

"This is not something that he just woke up and decided. It is something that he's contemplated for many, many, many, months. I would venture to mention that he made up his mind some time ago," Vaz added.

Yesterday, during a break at the Central Executive meeting, Delano Seiveright, president of the JLP affiliate group Generation 2000, said the mood inside the meeting was sombre.

Party supporters, some wearing green T-shirts with Golding's image and name, milled around outside the JLP headquarters, obviously perturbed at news of the party leader's decision.

Vaz told the Observer that the party would now have to manage the transition process and suggested that it could be done in much the same way that news of Golding's decision was handled up to the point of general release.

"The fact that we could do what we did today, especially in light of the sensitivities in having him make a statement to the Central Executive and then issuing a statement immediately after that without any speculation or without any media house having any inkling, is a masterstroke," he said.

Later, in response to a call by the Opposition People's National Party for the Government to resign and call elections, Vaz said that Parliament was never dissolved when there were transitions under previous prime ministers.

"This is something that is allowed in the constitution," he said. "An election is constitutionally due by next year September, and it will be the prerogative of the new leader to call it when he or she decides."


Source:
BY VERNON DAVIDSON Executive editor - publications davidsonv@jamaicaobserver.com
Jamaica Observer
Monday September 26, 2011

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Golding-going--going---_9793861#ixzz1Z4pEqJb8