According to sources close to the JLP and its machinery, with months to go, possibly weeks, before the Party faces the Electorate to seek to renew its mandate, the party is nowhere ready, to face the electorate as its machinery has ground to a halt, as they say the current secretariat under the leadership of the Party’s Gen Sec, Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, is practically in a coma. And not like to recover in time to put up a strong showing for the General Elections.
The mood in the party is one of despair as the rank and file members, usually referred to as the Party’s Workers, have been expressing their disillusionment with the Andrew Holness leadership, as they say they have been ignored under his stewardship and that Chang has been the most ineffective Gen Sec, in living memory. They say, with months to go to the Elections, the Gen Sec and his Secretariat are yet to settle on a credible slate of candidates to face the PNP in what they say is expected to be a hotly contested General Election.
Some insiders say, there are at least 15 seats in which the Party is yet, to sign off on the final Candidates, with Seats Such as those currently held by Mike Henry, Karl Samuda; Delroy Chuck and Babsy Grange, not yet settled as Samuda, Henry and Chuck, and even Babsy, would all like to go, but they are not satisfied with their potential replacements and so they are still holding on, waiting for the tide to change and usher in their own successors. And as for Babsy, they say she should have announced her departure long ago, as Former Deputy Gen Sec Andre Franklyn has been waiting in the wings to take centre stage, but Babsy, keeps hanging on, as she is dissatisfied with the promises and assurances given to her by the Party leader, as some time ago, she was offered the position of Jamaica’s High Commissioner to Canada, as a part of her ‘severance package’ and that never came to fruition, and left a bitter after-taste, and thus making her skeptical of any new undertaking and; and this has Franklyn’s supporters, who have been waiting on her departure, frustrated and angry as they have been rearing to go, and the constant uncertainty is causing the party’s support to splinter.
On the other hand, sources say Samuda, is tired of politics and the feckless leadership, of Holness and is ready to go, but he is not willing to hand over to Christian Tavares-Finson, as there is some longstanding animus between the senior Tavares-Finson, which makes it difficult for Samuda to endorse his son, as they say Samuda sees that as rewarding Tom Tavares-Finson, for backstabbing.
A similar situation exists in Clarendon, where Mike Henry anointed his long-serving lieutenant, Joel Williams, to succeed him, but the Prime Minister parachuted his reported Cousin, Delroy Williams, popularly known as ‘Feather’, the former Mayor of Kingston, to upstage Joel Williams as Henry’s replacement. It is said the resentment level among the party workers and delegates is now so entrenched that, unless an amicable settlement is arrived at, and soon, some Labourites are threatening to stay away from the Polls on Election day.
Things are so bad that some have even suggested that Mike Henry’s Wife, Dawn Chambers Henry, should be asked to be the Party’s Candidate instead of ‘Feather’, but Mrs Henry has declared she has no such interest. Her dismissal of the proposal only deepened the frustration and Anger of party loyalists.
Now, when it comes to Delroy Chuck, he and his Constituents are at one, as it is reported that he has admitted to being tired and would like to retire. If this is true, it’s a sentiment shared by many of his loyal constituents, who would like to see the last of him. According to sources within Chucks Constituency and Party machinery, the problem is that Chuck would like to step aside, but he would like his older daughter to succeed him, a position not shared, or finding grace within his own internal party organization, nor at the level of the Party’s Standing Committee; as it is being whispered that that well-known Attorney at Law, Kings Counsel Peter Champagnie, has expressed a desire to offer himself as a replacement Candidate for Chuck; with the current Foreign Minister Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith, being the Prime Minister’s preferred replacement, but rather than stepping aside to facilitate the smooth transition, Chuck has decided to hang around for at least one last Election.
Our sources say, it is to be noted that Chuck’s Seat, has not been the Only one Kings Counsel Champagnie, has shown an interest in, as he also expressed interests in Central St, Mary, to replace sitting MP Dr. Dunn, as it was thought Dunn was a soft MP and would suffer a defeat if he ran again; and he also offered to be a compromise Candidate when Samuda indicated he wanted to step down. But our sources claim, he was advised by his former Boss and Legal Business Partner Tom Tavares-Finson, to move on, as his son, Christian, would be the replacement Candidate.
