Starting with the current burst of hot air over Mr Mark Golding’s British citizenship, we can expect a long political silly season between now and the September 2025 General Election — assuming there is no snap poll or unforeseen extension.

The start of the season was foreshadowed by the excruciatingly close municipal elections on February 26 this year when, for a time, there was confusion over who had won, but in which the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) squeaked through, though losing the prized Kingston and St Andrew municipality.

That ominous development was to be followed quickly by the Don Anderson opinion polls, which showed the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) inching ahead of Mr Andrew Holness’s JLP, and triggering signs of anxiety among the party faithfuls.

For example, Mr Holness has rejigged the JLP hierarchy, followed by a further rearrangement of some government positions; and Mr Everald Warmington, one of the winningest Members of Parliaments — despite being a man who approaches every problem with an open mouth — seems to be suddenly back in business after all but withdrawing from representational politics.

On the other hand, with his tail up in the air, Mr Golding, who prematurely declared the PNP winner of the local government polls, has been strutting around as if he is calling the shots, notably tying acceptance of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to republic status, without a referendum. Presumably because the people are not good enough to make that decision.

So, in this political silly season, expect the following from both parties:

• Good sense will not be allowed to prevail.

• The spin doctors are going to be the highest-paid political functionaries.

• The tribalists will be given free rein.

• No party position will be seen as too crazy by the faithfuls.

• No attacks on the opponents will be off limits.

• Decency will have to take a back seat.

• Political expediency will be running things.

• No level of ugliness will be spurned.

The JLP is already making the foolish mistake of using Mr Golding’s race against him, hoping to damage his chances of winning power. In doing so, the party has clearly not learnt how its late leader, Mr Edward Seaga, had been demonised as not fit to lead a predominantly black populace in the 1970s.

The JLP has simply forgotten — or chosen to forget — that our hallowed Jamaican motto is “Out of many one people” and is now willing to desecrate that national value by making race a factor.

Mrs Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, a junior minister in the National Security Ministry no less, in playing the race card — “Massa Mark” — has trampled upon the very pride of a nation that she stoked with her stupendous athletic performances. How disappointing.

Furthermore, the issue about dual citizenship that has sparked the silly brouhaha now exercising the minds of some JLP members is equally applicable to both sides and a plethora of Jamaicans in all walks of life who are contributing great value to this country but do not want to renounce their foreign citizenship.

It is to be hoped that the Constitutional Reform Committee laying the groundwork for republic status will not fall victim to the political silly season, as has happened so many times in the past.

Is it asking too much of the parties to campaign, even vigorously, but sensibly, and with decency?