Dear Editor,

Although friendly political banter and the heated exchange of ideas are always welcome, as political campaigns should be the competition of ideas, ideals and policies, the recent spate of personal attacks from the political platform is worrying. It signals a continuation of a political tradition that has divided our nation into “hostile tribes, perpetually at war” and betrays the growing maturity and sophistication of the Jamaican electorate. Personal attacks and name calling highlight both the general immaturity of the name callers and a paucity of ideas.

As Jamaica nears its 50th year of Independence, the onus is on our political leaders to raise the bar of political debate and banter, because the Jamaican electorate is quickly moving past the era of petty politicking. We want ideas and solutions to our collective problems. The warm reception of the Jamaican electorate to the rise of Andrew Holness is in the main due to his amiability and his distance from the era of violent, tribal politicking which characterised the 1970s and early 80s. To his eternal credit, PJ Patterson presided over an era of reduced political violence. The baton has been passed to this generation to further cement the gains of that era, moving Jamaica forward in a spirit of unity, brotherhood, peace and prosperity.

There is no doubt that the recent attack by Abe Dabdoub on Andrew Holness will serve to remind the electorate of Mr Dabdoub’s proximity to a politics of times past and will impact negatively on the PNP’s image. The clamour for new blood in politics is not necessarily an age issue; it is a signal that the Jamaican electorate is matured, sophisticated and quickly moving past the political traditions represented by Mr Dabdoub’s outburst. The Jamaican electorate is demanding fresh ideas, which is not necessarily the province of youth, a more inclusive and less tribal politics, a politics defined by higher ethical and moral standards; we are demanding a politics where our political leaders distance themselves from people of dubious character no matter how influential; we are demanding a political system that will unlock the Jamaican potential ensuring prosperity for all. It is with these thoughts in mind that the Jamaican electorate has welcomed the emergence of Andrew Holness, who, in our collective psyche, possesses the potential to deliver on these most urgent of demands.

In a spirit of decorum and decency, I call on Mr Dabdoub and the PNP to apologise for that most unfortunate characterisation of Holness, not because it is politically expedient to do so, but because it is the right thing to do. Mrs Simpson Miller should have some sympathy and a deep appreciation of the negatives of personal attacks and name calling, as she was a victim of the same, albeit from within her own movement.

Let us raise the bar higher. Let ideas and ideals contend, even boisterously, but let us refrain from personal attacks which characterised the bad old days. Let us attack the track record of service, performance and output. Let us attack the principles, policies and performance of individuals, but as we move into our 50th year as an independent nation, let the personal attacks be relics of the past, never forgetting the apt political expression: “He who slings mud loses ground.”

Arnold Benedict

zherubabbel@gmail.com