Dear Editor,

The scope of the error made on December 29 will not begin to become evident for another 2/3 years. I have no problem with the great institution of the PNP. My issue is with its leadership core that has been tried and proven a colossal failure.

Eighteen-and-a-half years during a world boom is a long time to get things right within a country, and to have been given four consecutive terms and failed at it means the task is beyond you. To now have virtually the same batch of persons voted back in during a double dip world recession is a serious blow to Jamaica land we love.

I am not one to utter politically correct sentiments about the electorate have spoken and that the wishes of the majority should be respected. Nonsense. That would hold sway if we were a nation that voted on issues and in the long-term interest of Jamaica.

For at least the last 10 elections we have voted based on party cultism, skulduggery, fear and intimidation, vote-buying, curried goat and white rum, false promises and superior political machinery, black man time now or woman time now, etc.

The PNP will appear prosperous and seem to be holding things together for the first two years. This will be due to the solid foundations that have been laid in education, social conditions, crime reduction and the economy by the previous JLP administration. This is history repeating itself all over again.

We saw in it 1972 when the PNP took over the country while it was enjoying its best years of economic growth and nation-building under the JLP. Then, between 1972 and 1976 the economy shrunk by 25 per cent under Michael Manley’s experiment with socialism.

It happened again in 1989 when the PNP benefited from the residual effect from the Edward Seaga-led administration’s six per cent growth and went on to have their best years in 1990 and 1991. But things went downhill from there when the PNP were left to run things on their own initiatives and policies.

The same thing will happen here again, so buckle up Jamaicans, we will begin downhill in 2013 and beyond, so watch out for increases in murders and gangs, corruption and negative economic growth, etc.

Despite the JLP saving Jamaica from the brink of total collapse when they took over in 2007, they constantly shot themselves in the foot over the past four years. Apart from the bad handling of Manatt/Dudus and JDIP, I have never seen a party so arrogant before.

The unfortunate thing for Jamaica and the JLP is that Andrew Holness is no longer PM, and super performing man of integrity Chris Tufton is no longer in Parliament, but others who are less deserving have their positions intact. What a shame.

Jamaica is virtually an ungovernable state. We are very indisciplined, unpatriotic, short-sighted and don’t like to make sacrifices for future national development. Every successful nation in the world was built on the sacrifices of its people who put the welfare of their country above partisan politics, immediate self-interest and external influence.

Jamaicans are more about eating a small food now, rather than sacrificing and investing in a five course meal tomorrow. Jamaicans went to the polls on December 29 and their choice was between a perceived arrogant party (with a proven track record of economic growth and nation-building, and a party perceived to be humble and caring (with a proven track record of incompetence and mismanagement). I guess arrogance lost by a landslide.

My only hope is that the PNP would have learnt and changed their approach, but all that was dashed when Omar’s first order of business was to seek out former BOJ governor Derrick Latibeaudiere. Here we go again, I said.

Lord, please help us all.

Richard Patterson

Richie2sweet@yahoo.com