Dear Editor,

Much mention has been made in the media recently of the guns, Gaza and Gully phenomenon, and the rivalry between Adidja Palmer (Vybz Kartel) and David Brooks (Mavado), which has the makings of a tribal social feud of epic proportions. A society such as ours with an ugly history of political and turf war tribalism, can now add Gaza-Gully tribalism into the mix. According to a front-page Observer story (published on Monday, November 16), the Gaza-Gully tension has even spread to our prisons. This is clear proof that what may have started out as just an entertainment clash has now become an all-engulfing, class-transcending social dilemma for Jamaica.

Many social commentators have remarked that the Gaza-Gully issue is receiving too much media attention, and furthermore, it is not the primary source of Jamaica’s problems. This is perfectly true, as the primary source of our troubles is our sinking economy and our worsening crime situation. However, we should still recognise the Gaza-Gully conflict as a worrying symptom of our present-day social reality which should not be swept under the rug.

I consider the Gaza-Gully phenomenon to be a reflection of a cultural void that presently exists in our society; a social disconnect that is becoming more and more pronounced among the youth of our society. In a society that is becoming increasingly materialistic (where ‘Bling Culture’ has become the aspiration of the masses), our core values have been compromised. What core values, one might ask. They are Greatness, Goodness and Godliness, the three Gs, which were effectively exemplified by our first National Hero, Marcus Garvey. What one may consider ‘the alternative 3G network’. If the youth of our society are looking for an alternative to the Guns, Gaza and Gully phenomenon, they certainly could do no worse than aspiring to the virtues of Greatness Goodness and Godliness.

Apart from our national heroes, there are many Jamaicans who have achieved greatness: Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Louise Bennett-Coverley, Harry Belafonte Jr, JA Rogers, Usain Bolt, Brigitte Foster-Hylton and Melaine Walker, to name a few. They accomplished their goals through hard work, determination and dedication. They had a strong desire to be the very best that they can be. We need to inculcate these values into the core fabric of our society, if we are to avoid complete social disintegration.

I take solace in the fact that at least some of the students at UWI are now ‘plugging’ into the ‘alternative 3G Network’.

Dr Michael Barnett

University of the West Indies

Kingston