Four reasons for the JLP defeat

Monday, January 09, 2012

Dear Editor,

There have been many observations and commentaries as to why the JLP lost the December 29 election. I posit that most of the reasons cited so far can be simplifed under four basic headings — Arrogance, Disrespect, Corruption and Intolerance.

1) The evident arrogance of some of the JLP leaders as they governed was at times unbelievable.

We first saw early indicators in one MP as he arrogantly took on the local security forces, hurling verbal abuse and threats, right after he had won the 2007 election.

We watched in amazement as ministers arrogantly dealt with health and security public servants. Then it got real ugly with one seasoned MP's $64 million comment about not living in squalor, uglier even, with another minister's denial of US involvement in the Tivoli incursion.

Then we were recently stunned again with a minister's arrogant, unrepentant and blame casting rhetoric surrounding a debatable $170-odd million expenditure at his ministry.

If arrogance was a criminal offence, a number of the JLP leaders would need to be arrested and transformed!

2) Clear disrespect toward the Press and Portia was consistently evident at press conferences, but primarily manifested in the JLP's terrible 'attack advertisements' against Mrs Portia Simpson Miller Unimaginable!

The Press in recent history has never been handled with such disdain. No national leader has ever been treated with such disrespect. In the words of Elie Wiesel: "There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest." I protest. "We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." I am taking side. And I declare that this disrespectful treatment of Mrs Simpson Miller must never happen again.

If disrespect was a criminal offence, a number of the JLP leaders (particularly from the G2K), would need to be arrested and transformed.

3) The perception of corruption and blatant 'trough feeding': To borrow and amend an old poignant quote from a British prime minister, to fit our Jamaican experience -- "Never has so much been taken from so many by so few in such a short time." Unacceptable. The list is so long, the 'trough feeding' so blatant that it cannot be listed here! Mr Greg Christie will do so soon, I presume.

If corruption was a criminal offence (and in some cases it is), and if Mr Christie has his way, a number of political leaders and other complicit persons may be arrested, charged, imprisoned and hopefully transformed.

4) Increasing Intolerance: Jamaicans are growing increasingly intolerant of arrogance, disrespect and corruption. So bad (or good?) is this becoming that it has cost persons their lives. Now it has cost a political party a massive electorial defeat.

It's evident some Jamaican politicians need to mature and begin to:

A) Transform arrogant leadership to representational servant leadership. In fact, that's why the post is called minister.

B) Transform disrespect to maximum respect. Only when we treat every citizen like a first class citizen will Jamaica really become the place to live, work, raise families and do business.

C) Transform corruption to honesty, transparency and trust.

Let's pray for the day when our nation's leaders will understand that arrogance and disrespect are not good leadership traits. Let's petition them to stop treating the public purse as a feeding trough for personal enrichment, no matter how much one spent winning or losing an election.

But that may mean I will have to include myself in that prayer and petition of transformation. For the true transformation and behavioural change this nation needs begins with you and me, so that when we ascend to higher spheres of authority, these problems will not exist. Let us pray.

Michael Aiken

Gideon Educational Centre

mandrewa@aol.com

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Four reasons for the JLP defeat