This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000673 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD AND J7 (RHANNAN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: JM PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: JAMAICA LABOR PARTY: FROM THE WILDERNESS TO THE 
PROMISED LAND? 
 
REF: A. KINGSTON 00253 
 
     ¶B. KINGSTON 00420 
     ¶C. KINGSTON 00640 
 
THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: The Jamaica Labor Party on February 21 held 
its annual conference, which had been postponed twice since 
September 2004 due to Hurricane Ivan and internal disputes. 
The meeting officially elected Bruce Golding, who ultimately 
ran unopposed, to the position of party leader.  The event 
also launched a new era for the JLP as it closed the chapter 
on 30 years of leadership by Edward Seaga.  What emerged was 
a JLP that is touting a new vision and a unified image as it 
prepares to challenge the People's National Party (PNP) in 
the country's upcoming general election.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On February 21, the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) held its 
twice-postponed annual conference at the National Arena in 
Kingston.  The conference, shortened to one day from two, had 
as its primary agenda item the election of Senator Bruce 
Golding to the party leadership position vacated by long time 
party leader and former prime minister Edward Seaga.  After a 
one-month leadership gap caused by Seaga's resignation, and 
with the internal strife of a bitter leadership contest 
behind them (Ref A), the JLP touted the conference as the 
beginning of "new leadership" with a "new vision."  Eager to 
move forward, the JLP sought to repair its fractured public 
image and usher in an era of unity and progress. 
 
¶3. (U) With the election of Golding and the completion of 
other protocolary issues  completed by midday, the JLP 
welcomed thousands of supporters into the National Arena for 
the afternoon's public session.  Within an hour, there was 
standing room only inside the arena, which took on a 
festival-like atmosphere as the building filled with 
cigarette and ganja smoke, loud dancehall music, and 
enthusiastic JLP consituents, many arriving with beer bottles 
in hand. 
 
¶4. (U) For several hours, the crowd heard energetic speeches 
from the JLP leadership, including each of the party's four 
deputy leaders (Derrick Smith, James Robertson, Audley Shaw, 
and Horace Chang).  Without fail, each speaker railed against 
the People's National Party (PNP) government for all of 
Jamaica's ills, including failing public services, the high 
and rising crime rate, a poor educational system, a weak 
economy and rising unemployment, high indebtedness, and 
government corruption.  Smith lamented 16 years of "hell" 
under an "uncommitted" PNP government, calling for additional 
resources to support the security forces.  Interim Opposition 
Leader Ken Baugh described Jamaica's disastrous situation in 
the wake of the PNP's leadership as "ground zero."  James 
Robertson cited the party's disunited public image as the 
primary reason that it was not in power today.  Chang 
bemoaned that the JLP has been "down in the valley a very 
long time," and that it was time to move "from the wilderness 
to the promised land."  Shaw questioned where the government 
was spending its money, demanding accountability for the 
allocation of foreign aid and provoking the cheering crowd 
with the question, "Where has all the hurricane relief money 
gone?  To service debt?" 
 
¶5. (U) In a show of party unity, the afternoon's agenda 
included a "special presentation" by former party leadership 
candidate Pearnel Charles, who was almost singlehandedly 
responsible for delaying the JLP's originally scheduled 
conference when he took the party to court in November 2004. 
Charles called for unity despite previous 
"misunderstandings," and characterized the current government 
as "upside down," citing what he termed its recent attempt to 
undermine the fundamental rights of Jamaicans by trying to 
adopt the Caribbean Court of Justice without a referendum 
(Ref B). 
 
¶6. (U) During an address by Ruddy Spencer, president of the 
JLP-affiliated Bustamante Industrial Trade Union, Golding 
made his much anticipated entry into the arena in his first 
public appearance as party leader.  The cheers rose to a 
fever pitch as Golding struggled through the crowd to take 
his place on the platform.  Chants of "Destiny!" continued 
for at least 15 minutes before order was restored and the 
program was allowed to carry on.  That is, until former 
leader Seaga unexpectedly entered the arena less than 30 
minutes later.  Seaga, who had vowed publicly to boycott the 
event, took the stage amid screaming and hysterical cheers 
from the audience.  The scene verged on chaos as people 
strained desperately to see or touch Seaga as he moved 
through the crowd.  Event security could not prevent dozens 
of people from breeching barricades and pouring onto the 
stage along with Seaga.  When the euphoria and music 
subsided, Seaga's remarks were brief and earnest, as he 
explained that he was "here for the last time" to "show 
respect for his boss," the delegates of the JLP.  In a thinly 
veiled swipe at Golding and his backers, Seaga added that if 
there were one thing he had learned during his career, it was 
that "you must show respect to your boss."  He continued by 
encouraging the party to be vigilant and strong, and to 
strive for quality education, equality in justice, and 
opportunity for all. 
 
¶7. (U) With the event running an hour behind schedule, 
organizers skipped a planned special film presentation and 
welcomed Golding to the stage.  In his remarks, which 
continued for approximately an hour, he outlined his plan for 
the country and stressed the government's shortcomings under 
the prime minister's leadership to the refrain of "We are 
tired of excuses, Mr. Patterson."  Golding announced to 
Jamaicans at home and around the world that "recent difficult 
times and unpleasant episodes" were now in the past. 
Focusing primarily on the inequalities of class divisions in 
the country, Golding outlined his vision for "two Jamaicas to 
become one," and for all citizens to share the same values. 
He proclaimed that no one in Jamaica has to be poor, calling 
for quality education and good jobs for all.  In addressing 
safety and security, he encouraged Jamaicans to protect each 
other "by instinct and by choice," calling for a government 
that respects justice and the rights of all its citizens.  He 
continued that the government must serve and protect its 
citizens to earn their trust.  Golding went on to criticize 
the PNP for missing an opportunity to do "so much good" 
during the economic boom of the 1990s, when he claimed that 
other Caribbean countries grew up to four times faster than 
Jamaica.  The leader proposed a simultaneous bottom-up and 
top-down investment strategy to initiate a locally driven 
burst of economic activity. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment: There has been much speculation, 
particularly in the media, about Seaga's well-choreographed 
entrance into the National Arena less than half an hour after 
Golding's public debut as party leader.  Most, including some 
senior JLP officials, find it difficult to believe that the 
event was anything less than a mission to undermine the new 
leader's authority and to steal the show from the "new 
leadership." (Ref C).  That theory is certainly supported by 
Seaga's "respect your boss" remarks, which were clearly 
directed at party reformists whom he has in the past heatedly 
accused of disrespecting him.  Nevertheless, the conference 
was widely seen as a success, and JLP members are pleased 
with the party's new direction, particularly in contrast to 
the internal wranglings and ugly public disputes of 2004. 
Some senior party officials have gone so far as to say that 
they are ready today for a general election, although they 
would prefer an additional six months of preparation to 
position Golding to take back the government and lead the JLP 
to the promised land.  End Comment. 
ROBINSON