War ina Babylon, Max Romeo’s classic reggae song, is beginning to echo in the minds of many concerned Jamaicans as this politically divided nation prepares for what is likely to be the most pivotal general election in Jamaica’s history since 1980.

His opening lyrics now serve as a stark reminder of what took place leading up to that election, which proved to be the most bloody and contentious in the country since the attainment of universal adult suffrage. Are we likely to see a recurrence in 2025?

“War ina Babylon, tribal war ina Babylon. It sipple out deh (wha’ you seh?)”

“Tek sleep and mark death” is a popular saying in Jamaica that may well be applicable at this time based on some of the utterances emanating from the platforms of both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP). Indeed, both leaders, Andrew Holness and Mark Golding, as well as many of their spokespersons have been spewing the kind of incendiary rhetoric that is likely to stir up animosity among their diehard supporters. Already, the tearing down of posters has become very commonplace as well as the indiscriminate use of party paraphernalia, some of which are clearly in breach of the Anti-Litter Act.

The JLP’s insistence, as enunciated by Prime Minister Holness, that the PNP should never again be allowed to be in charge of the country’s governmental affairs, and Opposition Leader Golding’s intonation that, when the right time come, “man a go charge fi corruption” (or words to that effect) can stir up a great deal of partisan emotions, not to mention the PNP’s “Blood and Fire” slogan, which already has been misinterpreted by many of its detractors. Incidentally, this particular phrase is the motto of the Salvation Army!

In the meantime, accusations have emerged from the lips of two high-profile JLP luminaries, Olivia “Babsy” Grange and Desmond McKenzie, who have both intimated that the PNP has a tendency to be a violent organisation. When all is said and done, though, is this yet a classic case of the pot cussing the kettle? The more learned and well-thinking Jamaican may be able to distinguish between denotation and connotation when it comes to certain words and phrases being uttered by both parties and their adherents, but for John and Jane Public, not to mention partisan spin doctors, words spoken in jest on the platform can have very deleterious interpretations and consequences.

So, for example, the expression “Blood and Fire” can be interpreted in its denotative sense, which refers to the literal, dictionary definition of the words, while in a connotative context, they would encompass the emotional and cultural associations. To put it another way, words can have figurative as well as literal meanings, but in the charged atmosphere of an election campaign, linguistics oftentimes will have to take a back seat as raw partisan emotions take over. So when Prime Minister Holness declared that the JLP did not need an Opposition as his own party supporters can play that role, the interpretation of that statement will depend on which side of the fence one is sitting. Suffice it to say, there are two things that “come not back, the spent arrow and the spoken word”!

In all of this, the so-called political ombudsman seemingly remains on the periphery, behaving like a reluctant bride waiting to be taken over the threshold. Truth be told, that defanged person or entity may well have to run for cover when the heat gets too hot in the kitchen, which it will! In this vein, civil society groups should become proactive from now and request that international observers be brought in to monitor the election on the ground, because no local body or person will have enough clout, or so it seems, as the time draws nearer for the JLP leader to, “Fly di gate and let in di pirates!” (A most apt expression as the infamous pirate Sir Henry Morgan was Jamaica’s first governor and Port Royal was once dubbed the wickedest city on Earth).

Against this backdrop, it is unfortunate that our political leaders and their representatives have, for the most part, opted for transactional rather than transformational politics going forward. In the context of transactional politics, vote-buying, cronyism, nepotism, and patronage, among other corrupt practices, are par for the course and invariably engender a kakistocracy, which may well be the direction in which Jamaica is now heading.

On the other hand, transformational leadership, which is focused on inspiring and motivating followers to achieve a shared vision, often leading to significant positive change within a country or social system, is what Jamaica lacks at this time. When one Member of Parliament can be encouraging people to close their eyes and vote for a certain leader, while an aspiring candidate reaffirms that “parson must christen him pickney first”, we know we are heading towards a precipice, because, in essence, the blind is leading the blind.

In the final analysis, Jamaica is by nature a violent nation, both in words and deeds, so without a transformational approach diehard supporters will opt for violence as a means to an end. Much is at stake. Those who now commandeer the gravy train want desperately to maintain the status quo, while those who have been hankering on the periphery now feel that time come for them to be first in line. In this conundrum, both Prime Minister Holness and Opposition Leader Golding must be forewarned in order to be forearmed to face the impending “hataclaps”.

With this in mind, civil society, inclusive of the Church, private sector, and special interest groups, must be prepared to bell the cat and demand that these two warring tribes, Labourites and Comrades, be persuaded and led by their respective leaders to go in a direction that will ultimately bring peace and prosperity. In this context, polemics, the pointing of fingers, and pontification, will not be enough. There must be meaningful and constructive dialogue. For starters, it is time to revive the Vale Royal Talks, which, like the structure it has been named for, has become derelict and inconsequential.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved full-time in Jamaican media for the past 49 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.

Mark Golding (Photo: Anthony Lewis)