THE People’s National Party (PNP) yesterday said its reconstituted Policy/Vision Commission has been charged by President Mark Golding to define the contemporary and political philosophy of the party.

Golding has, meanwhile, appointed Brown University Professor Anthony Bogues to chair the commission. Bogues serves as the director of the Center of the Study of Slavery and Justice, and possesses expertise in critical theory, political thought, political philosophy, intellectual and cultural history.

Professor Bogues worked closely with former Prime Minister Michael Manley, and in the 1980s he was the secretary of the PNP’s Political Education Commission. The PNP says Bogues holds a deep understanding of the party’s earlier philosophies, as well as the necessary steps it must take in modernising those philosophies to meet the needs of today’s more interconnected world while serving the purpose of justice.

“The Policy/Vision Commission is a democratic working group of highly qualified members and supporters of the party, drawn from academia, governance, law, finance, advocacy, social development and other key sectors. The entire commission meets monthly [and its sub-committees also meet regularly], with the ultimate goal of crafting a transformational, 21st-century policy and vision document that is guided by equitable economic, social and political development and rooted in a transformational political philosophy, a feature which will distinguish the PNP,” the party said in a statement.

According to the PNP, the road map for the commission’s work includes sessions on the world economy to determine what current trends mean for Jamaica, and creating an economic, political, social and cultural profile of Jamaica as a basis for extensive discussion about the party’s vision. The commission also intends to expand its work, and will make proposals about reforming Jamaica’s political system, as well as establishing the key elements of a transformative political outlook. The team is enthusiastically working to produce a discussion paper by the first quarter of 2022, which will be presented to the party’s National Executive Council after national consultation.

Through its sub-committees, the commission has been working to prepare briefing papers on a number of issues which are crucial to defining the overall policy and vision of the party. The commission, the PNP said, is presently composing a briefing paper on the implications that the use of arable land for housing development has on agriculture.

The party also said the commission is deeply committed to inclusivity, with care taken in ensuring gender balance, youth representatives, and adequate representation from the varying levels of the party’s structure. Each region, arm and affiliate of the party is represented.

“The PNP has always been the party focused on transforming the life conditions of the Jamaican people. This Policy/Vision Commission serves to modernise our approaches to guaranteeing a safer, more just and inclusive Jamaica. It is the party leader’s hope that the positions emerging from this commission will invite participation from individuals and groups who are unfamiliar with the philosophies of the People’s National Party,” the political organisation said.