Political theatrics are very seductive. And mimicked populist gimmicks are very catchy, especially for Opposition parties and, spectacularly so, for an Opposition like the People’s National Party (PNP), which suffered its third-consecutive general election defeat recently.

Serious Oppositions do not only identify problems. More importantly, serious Oppositions also pinpoint practical solutions. The bland side orders which the Mark Golding-led PNP continues to serve-up as a full-course meal in the wake of the passage of Hurricane Melissa will only cause indigestion and/or worse.

Golding’s doings just days after the passage of the mentioned Category 5 hurricane told me that the devastation all over Jamaica had not positively shifted the temperament of the PNP president one iota. It was the same ole “Massa Mark” — recall that Dr Nigel Clarke, former minister of finance and the public service, described Mark Golding as “Massa Mark” during the 2023/24 Budget Debate.

Melissa has worsened nearly every social and economic pre-existing condition; still Mark Golding’s PNP is very conspicuously fixated on unseriousness.

Hurricane Melissa has also inflicted deep structural wounds to Jamaica. It’s not a time for political flippancy, retailing and wholesaling of general election result envy, and/or performative gimmicks. These rotten tactics do not qualify as statecraft in a functioning participatory democracy like Jamaica’s.

At its most recent presser the PNP reminded well-thinking citizens that it is great at political theatre, but little else. One after the other Members of Parliament from the Opposition benches spouted accounts of how they and their supporters were being “victimised” regarding the distribution of relief supplies and related supports. Noticeably, the reports lacked the support of verifiable evidence.

The absence of valid evidence to substantiate claims of the politicised distribution of hurricane relief was dwarfed only by bellyaching about exclusion. What exclusion? Internationally accepted relief systems are being used by the Administration to safeguard the interests of our citizens while protecting the national cash box — which some among us are very anxious to raid by any means necessary.

Consider this: At the mentioned presser, PNP President Mark Golding unleashed a barrage of unverified claims. He said that the Government was failing to “include the Opposition in the national relief and recovery activities”.

“The Opposition is willing to play its part,” he declared.

He also stated that the Government was failing its commitment to inclusiveness and equitable treatment of all.

Golding’s fulmination was followed by PNP MPs serially lambasting the Administration’s response to the devastation caused by the hurricane. It was described as “slow and inadequate”. One Opposition MP angrily protested that “Government representatives, including state ministers and political operatives, were carrying out relief activities without coordination, while the core needs of residents remain unmet.”

The Opposition’s broadside fell flat because, among other things, politics 101 teaches that apportioning blame minus practical remedies is not statecraft. It is political vengeance!

Some years ago I said here that, “The PNP was suffering from a famine of ideas.” Their theatrics at the mentioned presser is more evidence that I was spot-on.

Five Sundays ago I said here that Golding needed to take a deep dive into how then Opposition Leader Michael Manley cooperated with Prime Minister Edward Seaga soon after the passage of Hurricane Gilbert to pull off a masterclass in the distribution of critical relief. They also partnered on strategies to fast-track the reopening of Jamaica for business in record time. The theatrics at the recent presser by the PNP tells me that they have ignored the treasure trove left by Messrs Seaga and Manley post-September 12, 1988. Why? I think there are two major reasons.

First, the PNP today is far less politically adroit. Second, I said here long ago that, “The PNP needed a visionary, authentic and disciplined strategist.” The appalling absence of statecraft at the presser, and in the PNP as a whole, should concern all well-thinking Jamaicans who support the importance of a strong Opposition. This is critical to the proper functioning of democracy. Strength is not a mere function of numbers in Gordon House. The PNP now has 28 seats to the governing Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) 35. Strength is more so a function of relevance and resonance.

CAMOUFLAGED OBSTRUCTIONS

It bears repeating that apportioning blame without practical remedies is simply political payback.

Golding maintains that the Opposition is being excluded from the national relief and recovery activities, but consider this Radio Jamaica news item of November 12, 2025:

“The parliamentary Opposition has rejected an invitation for its members to participate in a joint select committee of parliament to give oversight in Hurricane Melissa national relief, recovery, and reconstruction efforts.”

The mentioned item also said, among other things: “But speaking during this Tuesday’s sitting of the House, Leader of Government Business Floyd Green disclosed that he had received an e-mail from Leader of Opposition Business Phillip Paulwell outlining the Opposition’s position.

“Green read the contents of the e-mail and his response to Paulwell in the House. He said Paulwell indicated that the joint select committee was not necessary and appropriate at this time. The Opposition said it would be duplicating and usurping the functions of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee, which includes examining budgetary expenditure of government agencies and other public bodies.

“ ‘Considering the above, we strongly urge the Government to allow the existing arrangements for oversight in all aspects of the works related to Hurricane Melissa recovery be maintained,’ “ the letter read.”

It seems to me that Golding’s bellyaching about exclusion is a conspicuous dodge. What is really at play here is that the PNP has yet to genuinely accept that it was defeated on September 3, 2025, I believe.

The PNP, as I see it, wants to call the shots. “Elections have consequences,” said Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States of America. Mark Golding and the PNP clearly don’t get it. They are fixated with old cards of disguised obstructions.

As I see it, politicians like Paulwell and Golding don’t understand that the default settings of local politics are on life support. Jamaica is no longer “PNP country”. Consequently, the PNP is no longer the party of natural choice. The PNP’s base has dwindled because of a big diminution in class consciousness and ideological loyalty, among other things. They still don’t get it, even after three-consecutive general election defeats. The PNP is evidently also still suffering with the affliction that when the JLP is in power the PNP will be at rule.

Three Sundays before the recent ill-fated PNP presser I said, among other things, here: “Some of Golding’s suggestions, if the Andrew Holness-led Administration were to accept and implement them, would effectively result in a parallel Administration with Jamaica having two prime ministers. Several of Golding’s suggestions on how to speed up relief distribution and related are fanciful at best; for example, bringing in of foreign professionals to lead the recovery process is a non-starter for me. We have the human resources here.”

I stand by those declarations.

Those who watch the swirling of our political tea leaves would not have been surprised that Golding doubled down on his unpalatable and impractical recommendations to the Administration at the mentioned presser. Camouflaged obstructions will not help the PNP and/or Jamaica to recover faster.

WHAT’S THE ENDGAME?

Dare we watch Nightmare 2.0 was the title of my piece here on September 28, 2025.
In it I said among other things: “I am no clairvoyant, but I forecast that the Mark Golding-led Opposition PNP will continue to be obstructionist. There will be frequent walk-outs in Parliament and related orchestrated delays, disruptions, and distractions, I forecast. Members of Parliament (MP) in constituencies won by the PNP will lead some big demonstrations, I believe. Dislocation is very likely.

“Those who ignore the reality of political gravity are bound to experience a crash landing. I don’t believe it was an oversight that the leader of the Opposition and PNP President Mark Golding did not — like the rest of the attendees — stand when Prime Minister Andrew Holness walked from inside King’s House to the platform to deliver his swearing-in speech. It was not a lapse that Golding did not stand like the rest of the audience when the prime minister completed his address.”

I was proved right.

“Golding led a walkout of Opposition Members from the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon, after he was cut off mid-statement by House Speaker Juliet Holness.” (Jamaica Observer, October 21, 2025)

I believe Golding may well lead another walk-out before the Christmas break, but certainly very early in 2026. As I see it, Golding does not understand that he can use the opportunity of defeat to be a creative loser. Does Golding understand that he can use the time in Opposition to change the axis of the PNP?

Golding continues failing to figure that an Opposition, among other things, does not need to behave like a seismograph, which measures every tremor. As I see it, chokehold-like obstructions and the attendant consequences are the endgame of the PNP.

Well-thinking Jamaicans see it.

I warned six Sundays ago here that the Administration must continue its laser-like focus on relief, restoration, and reconstruction of Jamaica so that citizens’ lives and livelihoods are replenished in short order and in a sustained manner. That is the best way forward for Jamaica. Rural folks say, ‘Tom drunk but Tom nuh fool.” Folks understand the terrible game the PNP is playing with Jamaicans’ lives and livelihoods.

GOOD MOVE!

The Administration recently has committed to loan US$150 million ($24 billion) to Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to facilitate the company’s efforts to build back its grid that suffered catastrophic damage from Hurricane Melissa. This makes obvious sense. It will not make sense to some who want a prolonged crisis environment.

At the same time, the Administration has rejected a request from JPS to extend its current licence that expires in 2027, in order for it to be able to secure loans to carry out the restoration work. This is obviously sensible too. Again some will not agree. The discerning know why.

Again, the Administration has to, among other things, focus like a laser beam on restoring especially ordinary people’s livelihoods and, simultaneously, on the stronger rebuilding of the social, physical, and related infrastructures of this land with due haste. Electricity, Internet and water restorations are essential to that process. Those who are using fake news, gimmicks, bluster, and obstruction to thwart Jamaica’s rebuilding effort are not Jamaica’s friends.

FOOD TREES, PLEASE

In 2014 I made a recommendation in this space for the establishing of a substantial public fruit orchard in each of our 14 parishes. I recall saying that, while the planting of ornamental trees was all fine and dandy, folks needed food in addition to aesthetics. Anyway, the recommendation fell on deaf ears.

It was not an original idea. Indeed, other countries have had public fruit orchards for decades. A recent World Economic Forum article said Copenhagen in Denmark is planting trees along its streets so everyone can enjoy fresh fruits. Ottawa in Canada is planting fruit trees to support local food banks. And Adelaide in Australia is planting fruits trees to help feed the homeless. Jamaica could have had a head start on all these countries. Post-Hurricane Melissa it is not too late to implement the mentioned recommendation, if for no other reason than “food is the staff of life,” as my late grandfather use to say.

Garfield Higgins is an educator and journalist. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com.

Volunteers and response teams from the South West St Elizabeth Relief Command coordinate rebuilding efforts and distribute supplies to residents whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Melissa.x

Residents of Belmont, Westmoreland, watch as a Jamaica Defence Force helicopter takes off after delivering relief supplies at Belmont Academy. The Opposition has accused the Government of victimising its supporters in the distribution of relief supplies and support. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

A Jamaica Public Service team at work continuing restoration efforts. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)