Let's commit to Jamaica

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Dear Editor:

Jamaica's 50th anniversary in August will no doubt be milked by the politicians like never before, particularly on the backs of the expected grand performances of our athletes at the Olympics. But do we have anything much to be proud of, really?

The Government will make a grand spectacle of several events, when in reality we should be ashamed of squandering our opportunities since Independence, an have dishonoured the blood, sweat and tears of our seven heroes and the many forefathers of the nation who have sacrificed their lives for us.

My mother participated in the Independence celebrations at the stadium in a celebratory dance, and she recounted many times to me the excitement, the hope, the pride, the promise of a new nation so blessed, gifted and destined for immeasurable greatness.

Now, 50 years on, look at us. We have major problems with crime, debt, education, corruption, and tribalism.

The sole reason for the country's predicament is politics.

Our politicians, who put party and power retention before country, and the brainwashed electorate who just vote along party lines without necessarily choosing the best option for the country at a particular time (as demonstrated once again on Dec 29, 2011), have indefinitely retarded the growth and prosperity of this nation.

What tears me up mostly is that countries with far less than what we have to work with are doing much better.

Look at Singapore; this is a country that is younger than Jamaica, having gained Independence in 1965, but by 2000 attained First World, developed-country status.

Singapore was far worse off than Jamaica in the 1970s and 80s. In fact, they looked to us for guidance and advice. It is well known that in the 1980s the prime minister of Singapore and several of his Cabinet officials visited Jamaica to look at our education and economic models. At the time we were experiencing economic growth of six and seven per cent under the Seaga-led JLP administration.

Can you just imagine if political trickery had not intervened and instead rewarded performance by allowing Seaga's administration to continue on that successful path? Don't Jamaicans now see that we got it wrong in 1989? The Seaga administration should have been given the 18 1/2yrs under a competent leader with fiscal discipline and superior managerial skills.

What would have stopped us then from becoming the Singapore of the Caribbean and Latin America and to now be really proud of our half-century anniversary?

We have MPs who are so contemptuous of their constituents that in 2011 when they finally saw it fit to source piped water for the people, to get political mileage out of it they called in the TV stations, as if this severely delayed basic function is something to be broadcast and be proud of.

Shameless! And so, Independence Day will be upon us soon, with very little to look back on. If it wasn't for Bob Marley and our music, Usain Bolt and all the other great athletes, our natural beauty, landscape and beaches and a few recently built highways, what could we really celebrate?

When all the celebrations are over, let us commit only to serving Jamaica, land we love. We can start that process by ensuring that we demand performance from our politicians and, without fear or favour, vote with our brains and not our emotions.

Richard Patterson

Richie2sweet@yahoo.com

Do you feel buying into Facebook now is a good investment for the long-run?
	Yes
	No

View Results
Results published weekly in Sunday Finance

Username:
Password:

Escaped prisoner back in custody

Let's commit to Jamaica