Mark Golding, leader of the Opposition, has remained obdurate in his insistence that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) must be part of the discussions regarding Jamaica’s termination of its relationship with the British monarchy. His stubbornness in not signing the report of the Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) in this regard is regrettable.

By trying to hold the work of the committee hostage to a pet agenda, he has demonstrated that he is not as seized as he ought to be of the weighty matter of constitutional reform. He knows that the flawed constitution that we have been operating with gives the leader of the Opposition, which now happens to be him, the awesome power to do exactly as he is doing now. The work cannot proceed without his imprimatur. This is what we get when a constitution relegates the people to the sidelines and places politicians at the centre of decision-making.

What Golding is clearly seized of is that his party, the People’s National Party (PNP), is in the middle of a political campaign to determine who will be the new prime minister of Jamaica in the next general election. He seems to be making the calculation that with his party’s improved chances in the recent local government elections, it stands a good chance of winning. So he now believes that he has enhanced political capital which he can milk to his and his party’s satisfaction. But he would be well advised not to count his proverbial chickens before they are hatched.

In my view, he would be standing on more solid ground if he took a principled stand that more time is needed for public engagement on the issue than holding out to have the situation with the CCJ addressed. Jamaicans cannot understand what is so sacrosanct about the CCJ that he seems to be staking his political future on it. After all, the CCJ is just one of three options, with the Privy Council and locating our final apex court here in Jamaica being the others. To take a monolithic stance and then hold up the work of the CRC is tantamount to a child throwing a temper tantrum because his parent refuses to give him candy just before bed. This tactic will not work here, Golding. You resistance comes across as sour grapes. To insist on your way in this matter is to continue to insult the intelligence of the Jamaican people. You need to stand down.

And what about your dual citizenship status and wanting to be prime minister of Jamaica? I am staunchly in your corner that on legal and constitutional grounds there seems to be no impediment to you sitting in Parliament and even becoming prime minister as a Commonwealth citizen. This is a matter that may have to be decided by the courts. But why put the country through this gyration when you know what you have to do.

Something smells rotten in the State of Denmark when one considers that someone who has allegiance to a foreign power would seek to exercise authority over the people of another nation. Many of us are calling this immoral. It just does not sit well. For this same reason I do not believe that any dual citizen should sit in the Parliament. If you are not bearing the heat and burden of the day, you should have no right making laws for those who have to. It is an essential moral question which cannot be easily shoved aside.

There is another matter that needs some ventilation. I am going to get a lot of brick bats to my hide here, but I think it needs to be said, even by one presently living in the Diaspora. Jamaicans living in the Diaspora seem to think that they have special entitlements bestowed upon them by virtue of the support they give to Jamaica. One hears the argument repeatedly that because they contribute billions of dollars through remittances and are otherwise vested in the country they should be able to have some form of representation in the Parliament or given other privileges based on their support.

I believe that this is a specious argument. Let us be clear. Any investment that is made by Diaspora citizens is done out of enlightened, and sometimes not-too-enlightened, self-interest. Many who do charitable acts in the country do so because of their sense of Christian charity. If you really drill down, those who invest in the country, buy or build houses, or send remittances to relatives do not first think of patriotism when they are carrying out these actions. They do so because these actions bring benefits to themselves or the people/organisations they are trying to help. If the country gets helped in the process, as it does, then so be it. But if we should be honest, there is no overarching patriotic sentiments that govern these actions. To repeat, they are essentially engaging in enlightened self-interest.

This is not to say that these actions are not welcomed, but the point is that they are done out of necessity to benefit those who do them. They are no more patriotic endeavours than that indulged by non-Jamaicans who carry out similar actions, perhaps even more than the dual citizens do, but are not looking to be rewarded with a seat in Parliament.

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.