In true old style politics, both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) have scuttled worthwhile projects started by one or the other when it is in power. Every adult Jamaican knows this for a fact.

The parties, while in opposition, have also been known to pooh-pooh big projects proposed by the ruling administration, because of the belief that such a project could be a big winner for that party come election time.

In 1971, the JLP administration championed the idea of a Caribbean appeal court to replace the United Kingdom-based Privy Council. Yet in early 2000, it opposed the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which was then being championed by the PNP administration as a replacement for the UK Privy Council.

Most people, we suspect, will remember the PNP opposition to the creation of the St William Grant Park in downtown Kingston; the JLP opposition to construction of a new parliament building as proposed by the PNP; as also the JLP’s opposition to the establishment of the Emancipation Park in New Kingston and the construction of Highway 2000.

We are beginning to sense that the PNP’s current opposition to the relocation of the Jamaica Defence Force Headquarters from Up Park Camp to lands on the Caymanas Estates, is just a continuation of the political tit-for-tat. And what a pity that would be.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding makes a compelling point in favour of the proposed relocation: the city needs to be re-designed. This is impatient of debate.

Moreover, we believe that UP Park Camp is too vulnerable, surrounded as it on all sides or fronts, if you will.

Let’s get melodramatic to prove a point. Imagine that there was a powerful enough force bent on seizing power here. It is conceivable that that force could surround UP Park Camp, making it almost impossible for the soldiers to leave. It would then be fairly easy to also block the main Bog Walk corridor linking the northcoast to Kingston, as well as the St Mary junction, and so keep the other JDF bases from coming to the rescue of UP Park Camp, or Kingston for that matter.

But let’s not even write such an improbable, though not impossible, script. The PNP’s opposition doesn’t offer any serious ground for scuttling the plan.

The most we could give it is its justifiable concern that the Government did not consult with the Opposition on such an important matter.

Smart governments would have a list of issues and projects on which they know that consultation with their opposition is in the best interest of the country.

The JLP is not winning any high marks for its ability to consult. It is still fresh in our minds that it named

the members of the ‘Dudus/Manatt’ Commission after reneging on its promise to consult with the Opposition.

Still we yearn for the day when one or the other of the party, better yet both, would get past this senseless tit-for-tat and political gamesmanship.

Jamaica deserves better. Much better.