JAMAICA Unity Alliance (JUA), a newly formed group of small political entities, levelled harsh criticisms at the Government and others in the political directorate recently, and argued that the Administration does not display a sense that it is accountable to citizens.

“We have armed gangs that are branded under the umbrella of the respective political parties. They have accepted this as a way of life,” said JUA convenor Peter Townsend at the launch.

According to Townsend, who is also president of the National Democratic Movement (NDM), the present system of government in Jamaica is flawed and the country is facing a crisis.

“The system, in a pure form, is headed by the monarchy with their heirs and successors who succeed to power, not by virtue of the people voting for them but it’s grounded in a royal family structure. In that system the monarchy is sovereign, and not the people. There are tiers of unelected officials in the system. That does not lend itself to true democracy; hence you don’t have a government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people,” charged Townsend as he urged Jamaicans to step away from the existing political structure and embrace one that will allow all political officials to be elected, including senators.

He said that under the present system there is no doubt that hope and trust are rapidly fading from the minds of the Jamaicans.

This, Townsend said, is evident in the continued low voter turnout in both local government and general elections, with the February 26, 2024 Local Government Elections recording a turnout of just over 29 per cent of registered voters.

Echoing Townsend’s sentiments, JUA member Howard McDonald charged that under the present system the people who hold State power are not accountable.

He pointed to the large salary increases awarded to the political directorate last year and argued that increases should be granted based on performance.

“You get an increase if you have performed. We need to ensure that the teachers get paid, the doctors get paid,” said McDonald.

The JUA, he said, is proposing that instead of just abolishing the monarchy and retaining Britain’s Westminster model of government with a political and ceremonial ceremonial head of State, Jamaica should move to a democratic republic with one head of State who is directly elected on a national basis.

JUA has also proposed that all politicians be elected by the people in one election; and limits of two consecutive terms for the prime minister and five terms for Members of Parliament.

The JUA comprises five organisations — NDM; Jamaica Patriotic Movement; Marcus Garvey People’s Political Party; Movement of the People Ltd, a new political party; and the trade union Tancour United Independent Congress.

The alliance said all entities agreed to come together to campaign for constitutional change, with the intent of pursuing an executive presidency election platform.

Addressing the official launch, Townsend added that the present system of government in Jamaica is flawed and that the country is facing a crisis.

The alliance has also called for a fixed date for general and local government elections, and that by-elections be “strictly mandatory at all levels within two-three months of the death or resignation of elected representative”.

The new political alliance was born out of the All Island Conference of Patriots organised by Jamaica Patriotic Movement on Sunday, August 20, 2023.

The members have underscored that the alliance is not a single party but represents a diverse array of political ideologies and regional interests, united by a shared resolve to address the imperative need for constitutional change.