The hard-fought 17th local government elections are now over.

Despite the noise and claims from either side of the political spectrum, a clear winner has not been decided. At the time of writing (Tuesday, February 27) preliminary results suggest that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has retained seven municipal corporations and the People’s National Party (PNP) five. Two are tied.

The dust has not yet settled on the elections as there are still recounts to be done for a final determination to be made. But what seems quite clear is that the results do not indicate a resounding success for either political party.

The PNP has won the popular vote, which, despite the low turnout, is a statement in itself of how far the party has come in pushing back against the JLP in the public estimation of its worth.

The JLP entered the contest with a certain smugness that given the vibrancy of the economy and other positive developments in the country, they could not lose. The wind, so to speak, was at their back. The people would repay them for keeping the economy strong, for increasing pension payouts to the elderly, for the massive restructuring and increase of the remuneration packages for public sector workers, including politicians. With all this achievement, and others, there is no way on God’s green earth that they could lose or not win resoundingly.

The PNP, on the other hand, went into the contest a bruised and battered party. Reeling from the many self-inflicted wounds that have caused serious divisions in its ranks, the party knew it had a hard fight on its hands. Despite the optimism it portrayed to the public, it is clear that they were worried that the JLP’s success with the economy would be something with which they had to reckon. Furthermore, they had in their leader, Mark Golding, a political neophyte who has not been tested in a national election. He, too, was prone to many gaffes and misstatements in his public utterances, which gave many the impression that he was not up to the job. Indeed, for many analysts, the elections were not just a referendum on the ruling JLP but also on the continued viability of Golding as the leader of the PNP and hence the Opposition.

So, with the results so far, the PNP ought to be happy with the outcome. The blowout that the JLP anticipated did not occur. If anything, they improved their standing and Golding and other members of his party’s executive ought to be congratulated for putting up a great fight despite the negative odds they faced going into the elections.

The wake-up call for the JLP cannot be overstated, worse underestimated. There is no doubt that the Government has done spectacularly in managing the economy; steering it through the treacherous cross currents of a deadly pandemic to the extent that today it is being held up in the international financial community as a poster child of fiscal rectitude and accountability. For six consecutive years it has not imposed any new taxes on the people, yet revenue margins have improved considerably to the extent that we are now able to do capital projects — road repairs and construction, improvement in medical facilities — from our own coffers and without borrowing from either Jamaican private capital sources or international sources.

From where we are coming, this is something to be proud of and applauded. The danger with this kind of success is that a certain smugness, if not complacency, can develop. In this regard, a government can become a victim of its own success. Whether it is true or not, we know the power of perception in the Jamaican political reality: a great number of Jamaicans view the Government as corrupt. I must hasten to add that if the PNP ascends to Government tomorrow, they would be viewed similarly. Jamaicans, from whom politicians arise, largely view their political leaders as corrupt. This perception is almost a given, though this should not serve to buy any government a pass when there are clear cases of corruption to be addressed.

Apart from the issue of corruption, which might have stymied the JLP tally, there are still many ordinary Jamaicans who are feeling economic pain from the still-lingering and perhaps soon-to-be increased inflation in goods and services. So while spectacular achievements are being made on the macro level, at the micro, too many are still feeling the economic pinch. Piecemeal dole outs of social benefits have not done much to dull this pain.

So while the JLP might have won more municipal councils than the PNP, the JLP, going into a general election in 2025, ought to be concerned that the PNP won the popular vote. It clearly has work to do. What might have been taken for granted in its success in the economy will have to be revisited with a greater humility going forward. With the political wind behind its back, it is clear that the PNP will be greatly energised as the country lurches toward the general election.

In fact, the local government elections were merely the firing shot for both parties to start the sprint to the general. Expect the JLP to begin with vigour the roll out of the improvement in the country’s road infrastructure. Although this is a matter that was being contemplated before the elections, one can expect that it will be seen as a vote-getting gimmick. The Government should not be deterred by this interpretation. We need the roads fixed and the local water supply to the people vastly improved.

It will be a battle royal between now and the general elections. The marathon has started.

Dr Raulston Nembhard is a priest, social commentator, and author of the books Finding Peace in the Midst of Life’s Storms; The Self-esteem Guide to a Better Life; and Beyond Petulance: Republican Politics and the Future of America. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or stead6655@aol.com.