Even as the debate about Jamaica becoming a republic gathers pace, not much attention is being paid to the important issue of which is the better approach to good, effective, and meaningful governance – top-down or bottom-up.

A close look at the country’s two major political parties, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP), may well give the people some indications as to which party is likely to embrace the top-down or bottom-up approach. Traditionally, in my opinion, the PNP has been the more democratic of the two and this practice has oftentimes exposed the party to many embarrassing situations, including public spats, turmoil in the selection process for candidates as well as ambivalence and lack of unity in policy directions. Democratic principles tend to influence political organisations towards adopting the bottom-up approach. On the other hand, the JLP, which is more leader-centric, is likely to have an autocratic type of leader and so that party will be more inclined to follow the top-down principle.

History, in this context, has shown that the JLP has had two autocratic leaders, beginning with its founder Sir Alexander Bustamante, popularly and fearfully referred to as Chief by party followers, and Edward Seaga, who gained the sobriquet One Don.

The PNP, on the other hand, has had more consultative type leaders, such as Michael Manley and P J Patterson, who espoused the democratic process. The very structure of the party by way of delegates’ power via the National Executive Council has forced the party into a bottom-up position when it comes to governing the country. In this vein, it is interesting to note that the PNP’s way of governing and policy outlook has been more in line with the Democratic Party in the United States to which traditionally it has had fraternal relations, while, on the other hand, the JLP has been aligned ideologically and otherwise with the Republican Party, which embraces the top-down approach.

Fast-forward to the current scenario in which Jamaica is faced with two leaders whose approach to governance appears to be diametrically opposed: the JLP’s Andrew Michael Holness and the PNP’s Mark Jefferson Golding. From all indications, under Golding’s leadership, it would appear that the PNP is still inclined towards the bottom-up approach, although Golding is yet to clearly define his leadership style, in terms of being head of government. In the case of the JLP’s Holness, it seems that “Brogad” is inclined to be a top-down leader, with a tendency towards being autocratic, which, in essence, would fall in line with the JLP’s ethos.

Of course, in the very final analysis, both approaches to governance have their pluses and minuses. In the book Audit of Humankind, author Sam Kneller states that, “Government in Western democratic nations is a system of checks and balances. Checks from the bottom that the top doesn’t get heavy-handed. Checks from the top so the bottom doesn’t get anarchic. Whenever the balance is out of kilter, there’s turbulence. Today, we have worldwide turbulence.” And we must remind ourselves that government is as much a personal issue as a national matter.

Unfortunately, at this time in Jamaica the majority of the populace has shown very little interest in participating in the democratic process, which means that our political parties and their leaders can ride roughshod over our rights and aspirations willy-nilly. This is why impeachment of the prime minister or president as well as recall of Members of Parliament must be non-negotiable items in any meaningful attempts at constitutional reform within the framework of a republican form of government.

Left to their own designs and affectations, political leaders oftentimes take onto themselves god-like personas, adopting a top-down or take-it-or-leave-it approach to governance. A closer look at what is unfolding in the United States of America at this time with former President Donald Trump at the helm should encourage every well-thinking, patriotic Jamaican to “tek sleep mark death”.

Operatives and the leadership of the Republican Party, inclusive of sheep-like followers, have systematically been challenging the rule of law as well as attacking various state agencies and bastions of that country’s democratic way of life. We see a similar playbook being played out here with attacks on the Integrity Commission, the Political Ombudsman, the Auditor General’s Department, Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), not to mention subtle, underhanded forays at the judiciary and the media.

In what appears to be a top-down approach, Prime Minister Holness has presented to Parliament job descriptions for the Cabinet (Executive) and Members of Parliament (Legislative), while beating his chest as if he ought to be praised and glorified. Fact is, this is a most belated act as he had originally included this exercise to have been accomplished in the first 100 days of his new Administration. Be that as it may, he is to be commended for having finally fulfilled that promise, albeit it is being seen as part of a desperate effort to win back the trust of the Jamaican electorate even as local government and general elections loom on the horizon.

But while he has announced that a joint select committee will be set up to examine and refine these job descriptions, what about a wider public consultation involving civil society? This, of course, would be a bottom-up approach, but will Brogad allow this given his tendency to behave like Pharaoh in that epic movie The Ten Commandments? “So let it be written, so let it be done.” By the way, when will he and his colleagues make peace with the Integrity Commission and sign that document which they seem to fear like Dracula and the cross?

The Golding-led PNP, in the meantime, is behaving. It would appear, however, that the party is spineless, failing to assert itself sufficiently in these matters of great national importance.

It has been said that democracy is a compromise, in that the bottom elects the top. Audit of Humankind states that a number of democratic countries have pushed more extreme leaders to the top. And many dubious democracies are on the verge of instability.

Against this backdrop, some potent questions must be put on the table and become part of the discussion regarding the establishment of republican status with a new constitution. Questions such as: Should voting be made compulsory? What role should the Senate play in representing constituencies and civil society? Should we transform the Senate, and how? What changes should be made to ensure greater levels of citizen participation?

In all of this, the balance between top-down and bottom-up governance must be found if the Jamaican society is not to ultimately descend into anarchy or autocracy, neither of which will take us to the Promised Land.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved in Jamaican media for the past 47 years. He has also served as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the Governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lbsmith4@gmail.com.