New political alliance to push for constitutional changes
A newly formed group of smaller political parties — the Jamaica Unity Alliance (JUA) — has introduced itself as an alternative to what it has described as “the continuous failed leadership of Jamaica”.
The alliance, which is insisting that it will not be a political party, says the aim is to put more power in the hands of the people regarding how they are governed.
It comprises five organisations — the National Democratic Movement (NDM); the Jamaica Patriotic Movement (JPM); and Marcus Garvey People Political Party (MGPPP); new political party, Movement of the People Ltd (Up Jamaica); and the trade union, Tancour United Independent Congress.
In a press release late last week the alliance said all five entities agreed to come together to campaign for a constitutional change with the intent of pursuing an executive presidency election platform.
According to convenor of the alliance and president of the NDM, Peter Townsend, the group is “not a political party and it is not new”.
He said under the alliance’s leadership, the people will have the power on governance matters, not the prime minister of the head of State.
“Too much power is concentrated in the hands of the political centre that makes these people in that office believe that they are emperors and that they can exercise emperor-like powers over this country. So we need these real reforms because we cannot leave it to the reasonableness of unreasonable people,” said Townsend.
He argued that what is being proposed by the Government to remove the British monarchy is not real constitutional reform, but is in actuality keeping the old Westminster model with a few cosmetic changes, here and there, which will defeat the purpose of becoming a republic.
“What they want to do is get rid of the monarchy, to give themselves more power. So they want to retain the Westminster model,” said Townsend as he charged that the system gives enormous power to the prime minister and the Parliament and little to the people.
“They have bastardised the Westminster model and they turn around and want to keep that with just a change of labels and talk about constitutional reform. That is absolutely no reform and that is why we are saying we need constitutional change, which will bring some fundamental differences where the people have more power in their hands. The people would be sovereign, and not the Parliament. The people will have the power and not the prime minister,” added Townsend.
He told the Jamaica Observer that the intent of the Government is to switch to a republic while keeping a ceremonial head of State like the governor general and a political head of State, which would be the prime minister.
“To a great extent, that’s the change. So it will now be said: oh, we are no longer under the British monarchy system… we are now a republic. However, this republic isn’t a real republic because the people will not have anymore democracy,” charged Townsend.
He warned that when it comes to a referendum on removing the monarchy, the people should be told exactly what they are voting for — not just this aspect but whether they will be voting for a ceremonial and/or executive president.
“Don’t pull the wool over people’s eyes to think that they are getting something new and different when they’re getting more of the same — minus ‘His Majesty’ and more power in the hands of our local oppressors. We don’t want to change our UK [United Kingdom] oppressors for local oppressors that look like us. No, that’s not what we want. We want real change for the people,” he said.
According to Townsend, the alliance does not believe there is need to have two heads of State.
“Why do we need a ceremonial head of State at such great expense? It’s a great expense to maintain King’s House, to pay salaries for staff and the president... and the people do not elect that president. How can we call ourselves a democracy and we have two heads of state — a ceremonial head of State and a political head of State, none of whom the people elect for the people at all.
He said the alliance is proposing that there needs to be one president — an executive president, no ceremonial president.
It is also proposing that the prime minister or executive president must be directly elected by the people on a separate ballot and that that prime minister or executive president cannot be a Member of Parliament at the same time.
“We are proposing that when people go to vote they get a separate ballot for their prime minister and their Member of Parliament. That is what should happen, so that they elect an MP from whichever party they want or independent, and they elect their prime minister on their own merit because we believe in a meritocracy, and not political favours and nepotism.
“Also, for transparency and good governance and good order, the alliance is also of the view that MPS must not be ministers of Government unless they resign their parliamentary seat after being so elected. Based on the role of Parliament to be the legislature and to make laws and to have oversight over the executive arm of Government, the Cabinet. That is how can you have people who are in both arms of government at the same time? It’s overlap that creates a conflict of interest, and sets us up for corruption as we now have it. So what we are having now is not by accident; it is by design,“said Townsend.
He told the Observer that the alliance also believes that the members of the Senate must be elected by the people. The body is also proposing that fixed election dates be “chiselled in statute” and prime ministers are limited to two terms.
“Nobody owns Jamaica like chattel, that they are here to rule forever. One man or woman does not possess all the ideas in the world. Make way for generational changes, so that we can keep renewing our country as we grow and build Jamaica to a first world country,” said Townsend as he urged Jamaicans to join the alliance, which he said is not about the rough and tumble of party politics.
“We embrace Comrades, Labourites, independents, uncommitted, frustrated, people going through political apathy, Christians, non-christians, Rastafarians. We are one Jamaica and we have to take our country back. We cannot just hide in apathy,” added Townsend.
The new political alliance was born out of the All Island Conference of Patriots organised by the Jamaica Patriotic Movement on Sunday, August 20, 2023.
The groups said it represents a diverse array of political ideologies and regional interests, united by a shared resolve to address the imperative need for constitutional change.
The alliance is slated to host a press conference today for its formal launch and to outline its road map for constitutional change.