The leadership of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) seems resigned to the possibility that Bruce Golding, its founder, may rejoin the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), but the movement’s spokespersons remain hopeful that Golding will not abandon its core principles of political reform.

A week ago, JLP leader Edward Seaga heightened renewed speculation that Golding, a former JLP chairman, was headed back to the Opposition party when he told a Gleaner editors’ forum that he intended to recommend an independent Senate posting for Golding if the JLP forms the government following parliamentary elections expected soon.

Golding has publicly stated that he would accept the offer if it did not conflict with his political reformist agenda that requires a non-tribal political culture and the amending of the Constitution to disassemble structures supportive of the traditional political customs.

“I believe with all my heart that Mr Golding will not compromise on principles that are personal and principles that are NDM related,” Hyacinth Bennett, the NDM president told the Sunday Observer Friday.

Bennett succeeded Golding last year when he gave up leadership of the movement he founded in 1995 after walking out of the JLP in the midst of a bitter leadership row between Seaga and 11 high-profile Labourites from western Jamaica.

Golding himself had found disagreement with Seaga over the need for, and pace of reform inside the JLP to remedy the deep divisiveness in Jamaican politics.

Since that time, Golding has consistently maintained that he would not rejoin the JLP as there still remained, between himself and the party, philosophical differences on how to transform Jamaica. However, Observer/Stone Polls have consistently shown that a significant number of Jamaicans – 31 per cent in a survey done in February this year – believe he should return to the Opposition party.

In March this year, Golding’s acceptance of an invitation to share a speakers’ platform with Seaga at a G2K-organised forum on corruption, intensified rumours in political circles at the time that members of G2K, the JLP affiliate of young professionals, were actively trying to woo him back to the party.

But Seaga, at a Montego Bay news conference on March 25 almost torpedoed the G2K effort when he told journalists that Golding would not be an asset to the JLP at that time. “I’m not going to open a door to have somebody slam it,” Seaga said as he made it clear that if Golding returned to the JLP it would not be before the general elections.

The following day, however, Seaga claimed that his comments were misunderstood and said he was “very hopeful” of having the services of Golding in a future JLP government.

“I consider Bruce Golding to be too valuable an asset to be excluded from public life and I am very hopeful that his services will be available to a future JLP government,” Seaga said in a statement.

Golding, in response, declared his willingness to serve, but reiterated that his involvement would hinge on a sharing of his principles.

Since then, however, Golding has been the keynote speaker at fundraising events for JLP candidates Andrew Holness, sitting member of parliament for West-Central St Andrew; Pearnel Charles, his brother-in-law and candidate in North-Central Clarendon; and Ruddy Spencer, candidate in South-Eastern Clarendon. He has also spoken at another political forum staged by G2K.

Last week, the group welcomed Seaga’s offer of senatorship to Golding and said it looked forward to Golding “working in partnership with Mr Seaga and the rest of the Jamaica Labour Party in moving the country forward”.

But Friday, Bennett appeared unperturbed about Golding’s flirtation with the JLP. “The fact that he and the NDM have always advocated an inclusive politics,” she said “gives him a sort of freedom to be non-tribal and to be involved in collaboration with others to carry out the noble task of rescuing this country.”

Brascoe Lee, chairman for policy and public relations in the NDM, believes, like Bennett, that Golding will remain true to the core principles of the NDM. But Lee, who defected along with Golding from the JLP, is disappointed that his colleague seems set on returning to the Opposition party.

“I think Bruce has recanted to see the change take place (through the NDM). but through an easier methodology,” argued Lee on Friday. “An easier way could be to re-establish some form of link with one of the more established parties – obviously the JLP.”

“Hopefully, from that vantage point, he might be able to use his weight or his political capital of which he has a lot,” added Lee.

He described Seaga’s senatorship offer to Golding as “astute”, and said it was done in an effort to capture NDM and uncommitted votes in the face of the JLP losing popularity to the PNP.

Said Lee: “We had expected that some offer would have been made by the JLP to Bruce post-election. It is being made now as a panic move because Seaga figures this will be impactful for the JLP.”

This view was shared by Stephen Vasciannie, professor of government and former policy analyst for the NDM.

“The present overtures being made towards Mr Golding do no discredit to the JLP and Mr Seaga. Indeed it suggests an open, willing and forgiving heart,” Vasciannie suggested.

“On the other hand, if Mr Golding was to become an independent senator, the vast majority of Jamaicans would see through this facade.

“They would realise that it is nothing more than a preliminary attempt to allow Mr Golding to return to the JLP without lighting a candle and singing a sankey along the way.”

Vasciannie, who left the NDM when Golding, as president, had started having talks with the JLP about a possible merger, said he had always believed that Golding “earnestly and enthusiastically” wanted to return to the JLP.

Meantime, Golding has stressed that he has maintained the NDM message everywhere he speaks.

“I continue to be one of the chief proponents of the NDM’s policies out there right now,” Golding told the Sunday Observer. “I believe the message of the NDM is much larger than the NDM itself.”

He asserted that the NDM’s message has gained traction and that significant elements of it have either been implemented by the PNP or adopted by the JLP.

Golding also rejected charges that his flirtation with the JLP is affecting the political prospects of the NDM, suggesting that the movement’s challenges relate to more wider concerns than his behaviour.

“As important as it is for the NDM organisationally to gain traction, what I think is even more important to the country is for the message to gain traction, and I keep pushing it,” he said.

Lee, however, disagreed: “Without question, Seaga’s offer and Bruce’s acceptance have already signalled to quite a number of our candidates that it is going to cause a negative impact on the NDM.”

But even if Golding’s behaviour adversely affects the NDM’s viability in the short term, the party’s president sees it surviving in the long term.

“The NDM is not an ill-formed foetus that can be easily aborted,” she said “or whose demise can be arranged by what Mr Golding chooses to do or not to do.”

“The NDM cannot be hushed up.”