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It’s has been a tough year to date for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) with one crisis after the other.

Its communications apparatus has been placed in the spot light and there are those who see it as no surprise that the effervescent Robert Nesta Morgan has now walked away as chairman of the JLP’s Public Relations Committee.

Others may be a tad surprised as Morgan was a close confidant of the prime minister, entrusted with disseminating information and keeping a check on the temperature of public opinion.

The JLP is looking to secure three consecutive terms and the time has come where it has to make some recalibrations as it faces a reenergised PNP with the wind in its sails. It has to come up with new messaging and point to its accomplishments.

It has to win the crowd and get Jamaicans to keep faith with the party and Andrew Holness’ leadership.

The local election was a wake-up call and now means it is highly unlikely that there will be a general election this year- that’s too much of a risk and the JLP is not guaranteed to win right now. It’s back to the drawing board. Mark Golding is a force to be reckoned with and has breathed new hope into the PNP.

Morgan would have been aware that he would have to revise his communications strategy and look to bring young voters on board. To lose both the KSAMC and Portmore, two vital urban citadels must have sent off alarm bells. Bobby Montague’s stomping ground of St Mary going orange must be an indignity hard to bear.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness is the ace in the hole for the JLP, the real star boy. The JLP doesn’t have a “ Galacticos”. Andrew Holness’ popularity is political dynamite. But the burden cannot be placed on his shoulders alone. Others must step up and join the fray. Morgan would have to frame a strategy that encompasses support personalities and play to their strengths. Relying solely on the prime minister is far too pedestrian.

With the prime minister coming under fire for walking out of the Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding’s Budget Debate presentation, calls to unmask the ‘Illicit 6’, questions surrounding the prime minister’s wife as Speaker of the House, the DPP’s tenure, the prime minister’s statutory declarations, Warmington’s outburst – it all amounts to conflagrations that Morgan has to douse. How do you handle raging storms coming at you all at once?

The prime minister doesn’t want to know why and how; he expects solutions and these situations to be handled in the media space.

This proved an unenviable assignment for Morgan.

The JLP, it is said, is losing ground in the polls and again questions will be asked of Morgan.

A picture emerges as him being the fall guy.

It may be prudent for him to concentrate on ensuring he returns Clarendon North Central to the green column and that he doesn’t lose sight of the big picture. It could be easy to get lost outing fires while neglecting to pay attention to his own hearth

If he were to declare that he is stepping down to focus on his responsibilities as an MP, many would say he is being trite but Morgan is smart enough to see the long game.

Accepting the chalice of communications director for the JLP at this time requires audacity and courage. It’s always gratifying to win in the ring without getting punched. It’s a different story when you get whacked. As Mike Tyson once said, “ Everyone has a plan until they get hit.”

In this current paradigm, the JLP will need new approaches, new ideas to reinvigorate its fortunes. Morgan took them this far and it may be time to pass the baton. The JLP must guard against simply turning to social media as the panacea. It needs a holistic approach with empirical data at the centre. Margaret Thatcher turned to the ad agency Saatachi & Saatchi to deliver a victory, which they did. Remember the slogan “ Labour isn’t working”? Genius. Then you have the great work Alistair Campbell did for Tony Blair’s Labour Party, securing a third term. The JLP would do well to give Campbell a call and get him to drive their communications team for the next year or so. Kellyanne Conway is attributed with doing marvellous work to ensure Donald Trump’s victory in the Presidential race of 2016.

It can only help if they bring in some international expertise to get them over the line. They are going to be in a vicious dogfight, there can be little doubt about that.

Closer to home there are operatives within the JLP who can competently fill Morgan’s spot. Delano Seiveright and Matthew Samuda readily spring to mind. They both did very well in the 2016 campaign and employed some novel techniques that paid off. They now have to come to the aid of the party.

The JLP also has to work its media connections and get its stories out. This entails traditional media ( print radio TV), podcasts, digital platforms. Whoever heads its communications need to have a specialist in social media, a specialist in print, in radio, billboards, all working under their boss.

Robert Nesta Morgan’s plate was full. He is also minister of information and the MP for Clarendon North Central. The JLP’s head of comms need to be dedicated and focused. There can be no distractions if the JLP is intent on bringing home the Holy Grail.

Then there is the Rattigan situation. Despite a fulsome apology by Morgan, Wilfred Rattigan wants his pound of flesh and is prepared to put Morgan to the sword. Wilfred Rattigan forced Morgan to withdraw and apologise for saying Rattigan “was dishonourably discharged from the FBI and has never served in Jamaica as claimed”.

Morgan will need time and resources to mount a defence. This would put him in an awkward situation with his party. Best to withdraw for now and come back stronger, revitalised, refreshed.

The JLP has to ask itself, Is it looking for loyalty or performance?

Why not have both?