Dear Editor,

In one of Jamaica’s major dailies, a group of Britons commented positively on the teaching methodology of our Jamaican schools. When all is said and done, I am extremely happy for the commentary coming from this group of English educators on the Jamaican education system in terms of delivery and methodology. I hope that Jamaicans, especially those of us at home – who always believe that if it is not foreign, it’s useless – will take note and start to remove this psychological mask from our faces. A mask that obliterates any positive vision of anything local or Jamaican, even when it stares us head-on.

The reality continues to be that Jamaica, despite its economic challenges, has some of the most brilliant minds in the world. Taking into consideration the sparse resources and personnel at our disposal, Jamaica is performing formidably in education and other areas.

The problem that has plagued our nation for the past few decades, particularly since the onset of the 80s, is this psychological direction of dependency, coupled with a sense of lethargy and outright laziness on the part of our people. We are too hell-bent on consuming without producing. It is a false notion and theory that success does not require hard work. This theory, apparently a new paradigm taken on by our youth and elders as well, seems to be the basis on which our Jamaicans operate.

Think about the average ambitious student or graduate of our local secondary school system who emigrates to one of these European or North American countries. Track these individuals’ progress academically and even on a pecuniary basis, then compare this to that of the lazy ones who emigrate with the feeling that manna is falling from heaven. What does one find? The result is that the latter group ends up in one of three ways. He gets involved in the drug-trafficking trade and may or may not get wealthy. He gets implicated in other illicit acts and ends up in jail abroad, or finally, he is deported to Jamaica where, armed with new skills and wisdom, wreaks havoc on the nation, proliferating and swelling the crime rate overwhelming Jamaica.

Until we can find a a group of Jamaican leaders ready to put country above self, families and friends, and with the skills to motivate the masses to believe in hard work and less in handouts and bling, my country will continue to slide downhill irrespective of any label we attach to groups at the political helm of our nation. I don’t see this radical change coming to fruition under the JLP, and as much as I would have loved to say that the PNP would be the party to guide us in this direction, I dare not utter such words with a straight face! Neither of our leading political structures, PNP or JLP, is in a position for the kind of leadership to avert the retrogade path down which Jamaica slides.

From where will this change emanate? Will it be from the youth? Will it be from the remnants of the left wing in our country? Will it be from the far right? Will it be from the PNPYO or Young Jamaica? Will this critical change ever materialise, or are Jamaicans destined to a path of hell eternally?

Joshua Spencer

Toronto

Canada