The People’s National Party (PNP) is placing democratic socialism back at the centre of its political identity, with Opposition Leader Mark Golding signalling that the party intends to draw from the philosophy associated with former Prime Minister Michael Manley while developing an economic approach focused more directly on ordinary Jamaicans.
Golding made the declaration while addressing the PNP’s Greendale Divisional Conference in St Catherine, arguing that changing global circumstances have renewed interest in governments that prioritise the needs of citizens over powerful individuals and groups.
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The PNP leader invoked Manley’s legacy, describing the former prime minister as a hero and praising his efforts to reshape Jamaica’s social landscape during his time in office. Golding said his leadership would build on that legacy while pursuing policies intended to expand economic opportunities and place people at the centre of national development.
Golding’s comments represent a notable effort to reconnect the modern PNP with the political philosophy that defined much of Manley’s administration during the 1970s. Democratic socialism was adopted by Manley’s government as it sought to address social inequality and expand the role of the State in areas affecting the welfare of Jamaicans.
He argued that the philosophy is gaining renewed attention internationally, including in the United States, where he said there is growing recognition that governments should respond more effectively to the needs of ordinary people.
The Opposition leader also used the occasion to criticise the economic performance of the Andrew Holness administration. Golding claimed Jamaica had experienced three consecutive quarters of negative economic growth and argued that another contraction was being projected by the Planning Institute of Jamaica.
He said a PNP government would pursue a “bottom-up” economic model designed to create greater opportunities for Jamaicans rather than relying solely on overall economic growth figures.
Among the measures Golding outlined is closer cooperation between the public and private sectors on workforce development. He proposed incentives for businesses to employ and train young people while also helping existing workers acquire new skills.
Education would also feature prominently in the PNP’s approach. Golding said greater investment in early-childhood education is necessary to ensure children develop basic literacy skills at an early age. He also reiterated commitments to a first-in-family university scholarship programme and an expanded school-feeding initiative.
On transportation, he again backed subsidised fares designed to assist commuters while providing support for taxi and bus operators.
Housing and access to land also formed part of Golding’s broader argument about economic inclusion. He rejected an approach centred on removing people from informal settlements and instead linked the issue to Jamaica’s long history of unequal access to land.
Golding said a PNP administration would continue programmes such as Operation PRIDE and the land-titling process, while taking a different approach to people occupying captured or informal lands.
His embrace of democratic socialism has already prompted criticism from the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Government Senator Abka Fitz-Henley argued that Jamaicans should be cautious about revisiting the economic policies associated with the 1970s, pointing to the period’s economic difficulties, shortages, capital flight and currency depreciation.
The contrasting positions highlight an issue likely to feature prominently in Jamaica’s political debate: whether the social and economic principles associated with Manley’s democratic socialism can be adapted to the realities of the modern Jamaican economy without repeating the difficulties of the 1970s.
For Golding and the PNP, the renewed emphasis is also an attempt to define the party’s political direction around social investment, economic inclusion and greater opportunities for working and lower-income Jamaicans.
With the Opposition now openly reclaiming democratic socialism as part of its governing philosophy, the debate is likely to extend beyond political labels and into questions about how Jamaica should balance economic growth, private enterprise, social protection and the role of government.
