As August 6 approaches when Jamaicans worldwide take time to celebrate their country’s 1962 Independence from Great Britain, this writer cannot help but wonder what kind of independence will be celebrated. At first sight, 2010 signals Jamaica’s 48th anniversary of political independence from British rule but it is apparent that Jamaica’s political machinery is not controlled by Jamaicans for Jamaicans. Seemingly, foreigners rule Jamaica via a bunch of politicians in two political parties which are puppets and lackeys for colonial and imperialist powers. Those political parties seem to be overseen by private sector business lords, mostly of lesser melanin (fairer skin tone) than the Jamaican masses. Jamaica is not now politically independent, notwithstanding the charade that occurs at Gordon House. Seemingly, Jamaica House would perform no differently if it were renamed The White House or 10 Downing Street. Retaining a King’s House after 48 years of independence is either a silly joke or an evil plot.

Jamaicans were once slaves to foreigners and they knew it so they fought for emancipation and got it. We give thanks to Nanny, Sam Sharpe, Paul Bogle, and many others who gave their lifeblood to free Jamaicans from British enslavement. Determined not to let go of the superior African labour, mental abilities and natural resources of the Caribbean pearl, Britain played its card of gradualism, reluctantly shifting from slavery to colonialism, all the while milking Jamaica of its wealth. Paul Bogle, George William Gordon, and many others fought for land ownership for all Jamaicans and against unjust foreign laws. Some brave Jamaicans living in the 1800s and early 1900s envisioned and pursued nationhood, winning from Britain in 1944 universal adult suffrage and limited self-government. In 1962 they achieved that sovereign existence that all peoples yearn for enabling Jamaicans to taste the freedom with which they were endowed by their Creator. However, the former slave drivers and colonisers still schemed to exploit and manipulate Jamaicans. Now, many Jamaicans are mental, socio-political and economic slaves to foreigners but they know it not, so no one is fighting for emancipation.

Trade unionists Norman Manley and William Alexander Clarke, aka Bustamante, with other brave Jamaicans like WG MacFarlane, St William Grant, OT Fairclough, Gladys Bustamante, Hedley Powell, Howard F Cooke, Noel Nethersole, Hugh Shearer, Donald Sangster, Florizel Glasspole, HP Jacobs, Lynden Newland, Rev OG Penso and others too numerous to mention, led the charge to self-government. Young Jamaicans must research how they sacrificed much, with “Busta” and Grant being imprisoned, the latter beaten severely. Marcus Garvey provided inspirational leadership; Manley emphasised the value of education; while Richard Hart, Ken Hill, Arthur Henry, and Frank Hill chose imprisonment rather than compromising their socialist stance against British colonialism. Both JLP and PNP fought for the common people and defeated the elitist Jamaica Democratic Party in 1944. Early Jamaican leaders, black and fair-skinned, established solid nation-building programmes like Jamaica Welfare Limited while building structures for social, political, educational and financial strengths. Manley announced accomplishment of his generation’s mission of winning self-government for Jamaicans and he challenged successors to reconstruct the socio-economic life of the nation.

Who sold out Jamaica, why, to whom, and when? To some extent, Jamaicans allowed themselves to be sold out by failing to use their massive majority in numbers of decent, peace-loving citizens to thwart the evil deeds of betrayers. Yet, those PNP and JLP politicians who oversaw garrison formation and the emergence of tribal politics are the real Judas Jamaicans. There is enough blame to go around to all Jamaicans, but the major political parties are the chief culprits. PNP presidents up to Michael Manley worked hard at fulfilling Norman Manley’s goals, and JLP leaders up to Hugh Shearer did the same. From 1962 to 1972 Jamaica enjoyed political independence, despite foreign interference, thanks to brave leadership from patriotic prime ministers. Since then, despite Michael Manley’s brave battles to liberate his countrymen, Jamaica has been sold out to foreigners who daily shackle Jamaicans through globalism. So long as they hold the reins of government and Opposition, the JLP and PNP are responsible for restoring Jamaica’s independence.

Most Jamaican politicians, journalists, businessmen and ordinary patriotic folks are too cowardly to admit to Jamaica’s most urgent problem. Citizens living the good life support the status quo, except when upset by the criminal culture. Others were bribed or brainwashed into opposing those who speak the truth about that glaring root of all of Jamaica’s problems. But the Creator still loves Jamaica and will keep sending truth-speakers akin to Marcus Garvey, Michael Manley, Bob Marley and others who preached that Jamaica’s problems stem mainly from the subversive actions of the former slave drivers and colonisers, aka “Babylon” imperialists. The classist de facto rulers of those countries sabotage Jamaica’s development while pretending to be friends of Jamaica. Their schemes include blackmailing politicians through drug dealing, gun running and other ploys. Ultimately, they rob Jamaica of its hard-earned political independence and totally derail the path to economic independence desired by Bustamante and Norman Manley.

Jamaica is no longer truly independent and will never again be such until leaders in the PNP, JLP, and private sector acknowledge that the greatest enemies of Jamaica’s success are the global imperialists. Most of all, the Jamaican masses must wake up to the fact that their main exploiters are former slave drivers and colonisers. With that recognition, Jamaicans must fight to reverse the bondage and dependency enforced by the IMF, World Bank, multinational corporations, Judeo-Christianity, unfair trade partners and the hosts of other evil entities now controlling Jamaica. Until then, Jamaican journalists, politicians and other players will keep “majoring in minors” like the Dudus saga and other distractions while the beloved country burns in hell.

INMerv@hotmail.com