JAMAICA LABOR PARTY: FROM THE WILDERNESS TO THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000673

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT)
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD AND J7 (RHANNAN)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: JM PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: JAMAICA LABOR PARTY: FROM THE WILDERNESS TO THE
PROMISED LAND?

REF: A. KINGSTON 00253


B. KINGSTON 00420

C. KINGSTON 00640

THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- NOT FOR INTERNET
DISTRIBUTION.


1. (U) Summary: The Jamaica Labor Party on February 21 held
its annual conference, which had been postponed twice since
September 2004 due to Hurricane Ivan and internal disputes.
The meeting officially elected Bruce Golding, who ultimately
ran unopposed, to the position of party leader. The event
also launched a new era for the JLP as it closed the chapter
on 30 years of leadership by Edward Seaga. What emerged was
a JLP that is touting a new vision and a unified image as it
prepares to challenge the People's National Party (PNP) in
the country's upcoming general election. End Summary.


2. (U) On February 21, the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) held its
twice-postponed annual conference at the National Arena in
Kingston. The conference, shortened to one day from two, had
as its primary agenda item the election of Senator Bruce
Golding to the party leadership position vacated by long time
party leader and former prime minister Edward Seaga. After a
one-month leadership gap caused by Seaga's resignation, and
with the internal strife of a bitter leadership contest
behind them (Ref A),the JLP touted the conference as the
beginning of "new leadership" with a "new vision." Eager to
move forward, the JLP sought to repair its fractured public
image and usher in an era of unity and progress.


3. (U) With the election of Golding and the completion of
other protocolary issues completed by midday, the JLP
welcomed thousands of supporters into the National Arena for
the afternoon's public session. Within an hour, there was
standing room only inside the arena, which took on a
festival-like atmosphere as the building filled with
cigarette and ganja smoke, loud dancehall music, and
enthusiastic JLP consituents, many arriving with beer bottles
in hand.


4. (U) For several hours, the crowd heard energetic speeches
from the JLP leadership, including each of the party's four
deputy leaders (Derrick Smith, James Robertson, Audley Shaw,
and Horace Chang). Without fail, each speaker railed against
the People's National Party (PNP) government for all of
Jamaica's ills, including failing public services, the high
and rising crime rate, a poor educational system, a weak
economy and rising unemployment, high indebtedness, and
government corruption. Smith lamented 16 years of "hell"
under an "uncommitted" PNP government, calling for additional
resources to support the security forces. Interim Opposition
Leader Ken Baugh described Jamaica's disastrous situation in
the wake of the PNP's leadership as "ground zero." James
Robertson cited the party's disunited public image as the
primary reason that it was not in power today. Chang
bemoaned that the JLP has been "down in the valley a very
long time," and that it was time to move "from the wilderness
to the promised land." Shaw questioned where the government
was spending its money, demanding accountability for the
allocation of foreign aid and provoking the cheering crowd
with the question, "Where has all the hurricane relief money
gone? To service debt?"


5. (U) In a show of party unity, the afternoon's agenda
included a "special presentation" by former party leadership
candidate Pearnel Charles, who was almost singlehandedly
responsible for delaying the JLP's originally scheduled
conference when he took the party to court in November 2004.
Charles called for unity despite previous
"misunderstandings," and characterized the current government
as "upside down," citing what he termed its recent attempt to
undermine the fundamental rights of Jamaicans by trying to
adopt the Caribbean Court of Justice without a referendum
(Ref B).


6. (U) During an address by Ruddy Spencer, president of the
JLP-affiliated Bustamante Industrial Trade Union, Golding
made his much anticipated entry into the arena in his first
public appearance as party leader. The cheers rose to a
fever pitch as Golding struggled through the crowd to take
his place on the platform. Chants of "Destiny!" continued
for at least 15 minutes before order was restored and the
program was allowed to carry on. That is, until former
leader Seaga unexpectedly entered the arena less than 30
minutes later. Seaga, who had vowed publicly to boycott the
event, took the stage amid screaming and hysterical cheers
from the audience. The scene verged on chaos as people
strained desperately to see or touch Seaga as he moved
through the crowd. Event security could not prevent dozens
of people from breeching barricades and pouring onto the
stage along with Seaga. When the euphoria and music
subsided, Seaga's remarks were brief and earnest, as he
explained that he was "here for the last time" to "show
respect for his boss," the delegates of the JLP. In a thinly
veiled swipe at Golding and his backers, Seaga added that if
there were one thing he had learned during his career, it was
that "you must show respect to your boss." He continued by
encouraging the party to be vigilant and strong, and to
strive for quality education, equality in justice, and
opportunity for all.


7. (U) With the event running an hour behind schedule,
organizers skipped a planned special film presentation and
welcomed Golding to the stage. In his remarks, which
continued for approximately an hour, he outlined his plan for
the country and stressed the government's shortcomings under
the prime minister's leadership to the refrain of "We are
tired of excuses, Mr. Patterson." Golding announced to
Jamaicans at home and around the world that "recent difficult
times and unpleasant episodes" were now in the past.
Focusing primarily on the inequalities of class divisions in
the country, Golding outlined his vision for "two Jamaicas to
become one," and for all citizens to share the same values.
He proclaimed that no one in Jamaica has to be poor, calling
for quality education and good jobs for all. In addressing
safety and security, he encouraged Jamaicans to protect each
other "by instinct and by choice," calling for a government
that respects justice and the rights of all its citizens. He
continued that the government must serve and protect its
citizens to earn their trust. Golding went on to criticize
the PNP for missing an opportunity to do "so much good"
during the economic boom of the 1990s, when he claimed that
other Caribbean countries grew up to four times faster than
Jamaica. The leader proposed a simultaneous bottom-up and
top-down investment strategy to initiate a locally driven
burst of economic activity.


8. (SBU) Comment: There has been much speculation,
particularly in the media, about Seaga's well-choreographed
entrance into the National Arena less than half an hour after
Golding's public debut as party leader. Most, including some
senior JLP officials, find it difficult to believe that the
event was anything less than a mission to undermine the new
leader's authority and to steal the show from the "new
leadership." (Ref C). That theory is certainly supported by
Seaga's "respect your boss" remarks, which were clearly
directed at party reformists whom he has in the past heatedly
accused of disrespecting him. Nevertheless, the conference
was widely seen as a success, and JLP members are pleased
with the party's new direction, particularly in contrast to
the internal wranglings and ugly public disputes of 2004.
Some senior party officials have gone so far as to say that
they are ready today for a general election, although they
would prefer an additional six months of preparation to
position Golding to take back the government and lead the JLP
to the promised land. End Comment.
ROBINSON