The Jamaica Observer online has published its political winners and losers for 2024. I wish to add my opinion to the debate.

Dr Nigel Clarke

Without a doubt Dr Nigel Clarke was a very successful finance and planning minister and did exceptionally well during his ministerial tenure.

He successfully kept the Jamaican economy firmly in place, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and not one single public servant was made redundant over the period.

He successfully completed the Public Sector Salary Review Compensation Project and successfully implemented the salary upgrade for the political directorates. This salary upgrade for public sector employees and increase for the elected political directorates were long overdue, and I was among the few people who consistently stated on some of the popular radio talk shows the imperative for the political directorates’ salaries to be widely increased. This was achieved, thankfully, under the intellectually ebullient leadership of Dr Clarke.

Government’s debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio was significantly reduced during his remarkable tenure. Clearly, one of the most successful finance ministers in the history of government and clearly a prominent political winner for 2024.

He is the first Jamaican to be prominently appointed one of the four deputy managing directors of the International Monetary Fund. A historic achievement for Jamaica. He served with distinction, honour, and vast probity along with humility as finance and public service minister for a six-year period.

Interestingly, Dr Clarke’s humility has enabled him to have close political friends both within the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and People’s National Party (PNP). The former finance minister presided over nine budget periods without the imposition of any new taxes, the highest net international reserves in decades, and the halving of the national debt from 144 GDP to 74 per cent of GDP.

The country’s minimum wage was increased to $15,000 per eight-hour work week, another commendable accomplishment.

Well done, Dr Clarke.

Mark Golding

Mark Golding, as PNP president, has successfully settled into the job very, very well. The numerous venomous political criticisms which were thrown at him were most unwarranted and preposterous; however, he always came out stronger politically and nationally.

The PNP, by fully, comprehensively, and firmly united around Golding as PNP president, certainly allowed the party to perform creditably well in the local government elections. The JLP lost control of some of the municipal councils while the PNP gained them triumphantly. Golding and the PNP operated, directed, and managed an excellent local government election campaign.

As the Observer report on the political winners and losers stated, “On March 1, the Electoral Office of Jamaica reported that the JLP had won seven parishes to the PNP’s five. Of note is that the PNP also won the Portmore Municipal Corporation and the election for mayor. It also took the St Mary Municipal Corporation from the JLP and registered a 7-0 victory in Hanover.”

“Following a 20-20 tie in the prized Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation [KSAMC], the PNP, by winning the popular vote, earned the right to appoint the mayor and the JLP the deputy mayor.”

“Golding, in November, presided over two by-election victories in the Morant Bay Division in St Thomas and Aenon Town, Clarendon. The Clarendon victory means the Clarendon Municipal Corporation is now tied 11-11 and the PNP has the popular vote. That matter could be headed to court, as the PNP has insisted that, like in the KSAMC, it should appoint the mayor.”

It is germane and instructive to note here that the irrepressible and indefatigable Golding currently enjoys increasing levels of political and national support throughout the island, has visited every single constituency in the country, and spoken to residents therein. Golding is now more popular than Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the highly respected Don Anderson polls, conducted in October 2024, reveals that Golding is favoured by some 36 per cent of polled Jamaicans while Holness has 32.5 per cent favourability rating.

The same poll showed the PNP opening up a 9.1 percentage point lead over the JLP, with 39.3 per cent of respondents stating that they would vote for the PNP compared to 30.2 per cent who indicated that they would cast their ballots for the governing party. The JLP has not disputed the poll findings and it would seem to me after evaluating political happenings for decades the political tide so to speak is turning away from the JLP and widespread and growing political support is at play for Golding and the PNP.

The PNP is gaining traction across the country, with many people stating that the high cost of living rate, high crime rate, and alleged corruption in Government have effectively turned the Jamaican people from the JLP, and the PNP is gaining that support.

According to nationwide views and opinions so posited by the Jamaican people, they are not positively benefiting from the Jamaican economy. There is no substantial trickle down positive effect and impact on the pockets of the masses.

Fayval Williams

Williams, an accomplished accounting scholar turned politician and Cabinet minister, created political and governmental history by becoming the first woman to be appointed finance and public service minister.

In her previous ministerial position as education minister she had some significant achievements and always did her job with humility, professionalism, and a forward-thinking framework.

A quiet, diligent, and pragmatic minister, she will certainly perform at a high level as finance minister until the next general election is held. She has the full support of the private sector and the leadership of the financial and banking sectors in Jamaica.

An accomplished and highly experienced financial analyst by profession, well qualified, has an MBA with a concentration in finance from Wharton Business School at University of Pennsylvania, and a BA (cum laude) in Economics from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, making her highly qualified for the job.

An outstanding political winner par excellence for 2024.

Dr Dayton Campbell

PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell has become a very energetic, hard-working, dedicated, loyal, and successful politician, and some solid political credit must be given to him by virtue of the fact that the PNP did so well in the local government election and all its constituency candidates have now been selected and confirmed for the next general election. He is an on-the-ground general secretary for the PNP.

The politically indomitable Dr Campbell also eminently and boldly delivered on his promise that the PNP would win the by-elections in the Morant Bay Division in St Thomas and Aenon Town in Clarendon.

An increasingly confident Campbell has repeatedly urged the prime minister to announce the date for the general election. A well-organised strategic political party planner and organiser and is highly effective in his senior party position.

He is gaining timely popularity within the political landscape, and is a clear political winner for 2024.

Daryl Vaz

The politically fearless and astute thinking minister of science, energy, telecommunications, and energy, easily categorised as among the top five high-performing, effective, and hard-working Cabinet ministers who has accomplished much since being named to this important position.

Also known as one of the top-performing Members of Parliament in Jamaica, he is always working in the interest of his constituents and the Jamaican people. After Hurricane Beryl lashed certain sections of Jamaica, Vaz constantly and consistently monitored the electricity restoration process for the Jamaican people, was on the ground in several parishes monitoring the process, and importantly, speaking with citizens and listening to their various issues, concerns, and complaints.

He vociferously, eloquently, and fearlessly spoke up for the Jamaican people at all times, urging Jamaica Public Service to accelerate its electricity restoration process and the company did, in fact, improve and speed up its process.

Thank you, Minister Vaz.

Additionally, “Vaz would also take credit for the introduction of 100 new buses that have boosted the fleet of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company. Twelve of the new buses were deployed to Montego Bay Metro, a boost for school children in particular, and two on the newly-launched downtown Kingston to Morant Bay, St Thomas route, much to the delight of commuters.”

Isat Buchanan

Isat Buchanan is definitely a controversial person; however, he is known to have successfully overcome some challenges in his life and is now serving as an attorney-at-law and PNP constituency candidate for the Portland Eastern constituency.

He had a successful year, from both a legal and political standpoint. He successfully represented Vybz Kartel before the UK-based Privy Council and the local Court of Appeal, which resulted in Vybz Kartel being freed.

PRIME MINISTER DR ANDREW HOLNESS

Prime Minster Dr Andrew Holness is losing political support across the country. The Integrity Commission (IC) has not certified his statuary declarations and has referred his case to the Financial Investigations Division and the Tax Administration of Jamaica for further investigations.

Holness has not been charged for any criminal offence and breach thus far; however, this non-certification of his IC report for two years has negatively impacted his overall political and prime ministerial position and support.

His popularity has declined within the country and some people are now viewing him as arrogant, pompous, and out of touch with what is happening to the Jamaican people — low-paying jobs, high crime rate, and the base of the country, the Jamaican people, not benefiting from the policies of the Government.

Everald Warmington

The long-standing JLP Member of Parliament for St Catherine South Western, the irascible Everald Warmington has embarrassed the JLP and Prime Minister Holness on a number of occasions throughout 2024. He has uttered unfortunate political descriptions of PNP President Golding, at times referring to him as a white man who should go to England to seek the prime ministership of that country, political comments which have no place in modern Jamaica.

A hard-working MP, however, his conduct and behaviour is unbecoming for a serving MP and former Cabinet minister. A loser in politics for 2024.

Delroy Chuck

Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck embarrassed himself in the Parliament when he publicly and nonsensically called on the IC to certify the prime minister’s statutory declaration. A totally inappropriate and preposterous call coming from a minister of Government and King’s Counsel.

He has levelled what I believe to be unfair criticisms against the IC that were unfortunate. A political loser for year 2024.

Horace Chang

Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang is still being criticised for his failure to effectively and substantially implement policies which would see the country’s murder rate being reduced to under 500 murders per year. Jamaica still has one of the highest murder and crime rates in the world.

Minister Chang shocked the country when he articulated on RJR’s Beyond the Headlines programme with Dione Jackson Miller that the Government would no longer prioritise unexplained wealth orders (UWO), pointing to constitutional concerns and existing laws that he said are “strong enough” to address individuals with suspicious sources of wealth. Clearly a disappointment for Jamaica.

A flawed decision taken by Minister Chang as national security minister, for this specific law is urgently needed and warranted to assist the security forces in thoroughly investigating serious organised crimes in Jamaica.

Robert Dalley is an opinion writer and public commentator with a wide interest in national security and governmental, political, and current affairs as they affect Jamaica. Send comments to opinionwriter300@aol.com