Al Miller wants government of national unity
Reverend Al Miller has reiterated the call for the formation of a Government of national unity, failing which, he said, Jamaicans should be given an alternate third party which has the country’s best interest at heart.
Miller, who first made the call in 2000, said the country would return to a multiparty system at the end of a five-year term.
The government of national unity and reconstruction, according to Miller, would comprise the fresh faces perceived to be credible and having integrity, as well as the best representatives from existing parties to ensure consensus and that national objectives are not subsumed under partisan interests.
Miller admits that while the current timing may not make it easy for the adaptation of this idea given that the country is in the middle of an election campaign, he does believe the time is ripe for the restart of this dialogue.
“The country is ripe and ready for a third party to put the country on a united path,” he said. He pointed to the level of apathy which he said has shown that the people have lost faith in the political process and this, he insists, is evident by the ever-declining numbers of Jamaicans turning out to cast a ballot on election day.
He pointed to the fact that a large segment of the church community is disengaged from the election process. He noted that the church itself should engage the process for a government of national unity, hence church leaders should release persons into service to represent the people, not only politically, but in every sphere of society.
“Currently church leadership are bringing a new mindset —they are more open to engagement rather than a philosophy to non-openess,” he said.
According to Miller, it is unfortunate that separation of church and state continue given that the church represents God’s kingdom and should thus seek the best welfare of the people.
According to Miller, a third party as the kind he envisions needs to include minds that will be able to capture the vision that Jamaica needs at this time.
Parties to such a process, he said, must be committed to ensuring that allegiance to country is greater than alliance to party.
“We must commit first to God and country and everything else is secondary,” he said.
Miller said Jamaica needs a united approach to its politics as it has become so divided.
He noted that all it will take is the willingness of whichever party wins the next general election to commit to such an initiative as nothing in the constitution prohibits a prime minister from supporting someone from the opposite party desirous of being part of a ministerial team.
Miller is also recommending that such a government of national unity could also include persons from civil society.
“Ultimately, the ideal way is to disband both tribes and submit to something new at least for [a] five a year term,” he said.
Meanwhile Miller, who is head of Fellowship Tabernacle Church in St Andrew, said the driving force behind his renewed call is that the nation continues to suffer from poverty, crime and violence.
He noted that while the country is grateful for the “hint of improvement” with the economy, when there is a spiritual and moral decline, social and economic decline will follow.
“Economic success is not sustainable unless we deal with the value system and the current political system is not able to galvanise the people,” he said.
Miller said division and its effects have caused the high murder and crime rates, and Jamaica’s inability to conquer the increasing murder and crime rates has resulted in zero percentage growth for too many years and has held the country in bondage to garrisons, poverty and corruption.
“Our nation is as divided now as it was 15 years ago when I made a public call for a government of national unity for a period, to enable us to better tackle these social and economic giants that have been and remain with us until today. It is only worse now than ever,” he said.
“I am constrained to renew the call and work for a united approach to governance. Given our dilemma, it can best be addressed in a government of national unity, if our leaders are mature enough and committed to best national interest. I call on our political leaders and us as a people to immediately engage the dialogue for a united approach.”