KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The two main political parties’ leadership has welcomed the resumption of the Vale Royal Talks, saying it provides an avenue for strengthening democracy in Jamaica.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the leader of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), and Mark Golding, the Opposition Leader and President of the prominent opposition People’s National Party (PNP), met on Sunday for the discussions that the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches facilitated.
Their agenda focused on national security and constitutional reform, with Holness indicating that continued dialogue will facilitate consensus on challenging national issues.
“Our kind of democracy is maturing. It is evolving where; we have now started to formally recognize and regulate political parties. So it is only fitting that within this evolving context of putting more rules and embodiment on our democracy, we have this meeting yearly,” Holness told reporters.
He said if necessary, the talks would be held beyond an annual basis “to discuss the critical issues that may not always be able to be ventilated properly in Parliament, but we can ventilate them here at the political level.”
Golding said that while there may be disagreement on some issues, dialogue, national unity, and effective governance should be supported. He said what’s more important is how differences are resolved and how political representatives articulate their points of view.
“How we do that is important because it needs to underpin national development and be part of a positive thrust towards greater nationhood and strengthen our democracy rather than something that undermines progress.
“We are mindful of that, but sometimes you may we may see us being assertive on issues we regard of being significant importance, and that is part of our role, and we are sworn to uphold the Constitution, but also as an opposition party at present in a vibrant democracy we have to play that role of ensuring accountability and presenting an alternative view,” Golding said.
A joint communique issued after the discussions said Holness pledged to ensure the continuation of the talks. He also expressed optimism that the negotiations would foster greater consensus on challenging national issues, noting that the previous discussions successfully achieved some understanding of critical national matters.
“We may not always be able to address these critical issues and ventilate them properly in Parliament, but we can ventilate them here at the political level. These talks have now become a part of Jamaica’s democratic institutional tradition. They have been instrumental for the political parties to finding space created for discussions under the Chatham House rules. It contributes positively to building a modern positive political culture and gives us a free space to talk about the country’s important issues,” he said.
Holness said that the parties “intend to utilize the talks to advance the resolution of the contentious issues that divide us in the interest of the people of Jamaica. The Vale Royal Talks signals the country that their political leaders maintain an open dialogue to resolve the major issues that concern them.”
Golding said that disagreement on some issues should not be regarded as a hindrance to dialogue, national unity, and effective governance.
“It is a question of how we resolve those differences and how we conduct ourselves in bringing our points of view forward that I think is important. By deliberately embracing this approach, the population can learn from our leaders how to resolve issues without an agreement,” Golding stated.
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