EDWARD Seaga yesterday ruled out a near-term return to the Jamaica Labour Party of his one-time protege, Bruce Golding, saying that the re-entry of the ex-JLP chairman would not be an asset to the party at this time.

Additionally, Seaga suggested that any re-admission of Golding to the Opposition party would have to be on the basis of Golding making the obvious first effort, rather than he being wooed by the JLP and having the opportunity to rebuff his former colleagues.

“I’m not going to open a door to have somebody slam it,” Seaga told reporters in Montego Bay. “If I see somebody going to walk through a door I’d open it, but we’re not talking about opening or closing doors right now. We’re talking about participating in a forum discussion.”

Golding, at the time considered Seaga’s heir-apparent as leader of the JLP, walked out of the party in 1995 during a split in the JLP over Seaga’s leadership style and disagreements over how to remedy the deep divisiveness in Jamaican politics.

Golding formed the National Democratic Movement on a platform of constitutional reform to lessen the intense rivalry and the tribal nature of the island’s politics, but resigned as NDM president a year ago, taking responsibility for the failure of the party to gain traction with voters.

Opinion polls have consistently shown that a substantial amount of Jamaicans — 31 per cent in a February survey — believe that it would be a good thing for Golding to return to the JLP. Speculation deepened last week that this could be on the cards when Golding agreed to share a platform with Seaga to discuss corruption in Jamaica at a forum organised by G2K — the JLP affiliate of young intellectuals and business types.

Sources close to the party at the time told the Observer that talks, brokered by G2K members, were, indeed taking place with Golding to entice him back to the party.

The most likely stumbling block within the party, they said, was lukewarm response of older, seasoned JLP operators. Opposition was on two levels, they said: a feeling of betrayal among some of Golding’s former colleagues over the manner of his departure, and concern among others that his return would stunt their chances of succeeding the 72-year-old Seaga.

Golding himself was unavailable for comment on the range of issues, but yesterday, on HOT 102 FM’s morning current affairs programme, the Breakfast Club, suggested that it was natural for there to be speculation that he would return to the JLP, given his decision to share a platform with his former boss for the first time in more than four years.

However, at his Montego Bay press conference yesterday, Seaga made clear that if Golding came back to the JLP, it would not be before the general elections to be held this year, or at least he wouldn’t find a place on the election ticket.

“Our election campaign is formulated,” said Seaga. “We would have to do a lot of restructuring to accommodate those thoughts right now.”

Seaga also noted differences in his own approach and Golding’s to combatting tribalism, saying that his former lieutenant was theoretical, while he was practical.

“My constituency represents the practical approach (and) Golding’s view represents the theoretical approach,” Seaga said. “The practical approach says that this is something that can be overcome and we did, for five years (in) West Kingston. The theoretics of life is not the way to do it.”

Added Seaga: “You can’t wave a magic wand, you can’t declare tribalism at an end. You can’t say there must be no tribalism. The people are the ones who determine how they live.”