Dear Editor,

Rev Mary Wildish-Reece wrote a full-page edict in one of our daily papers a few weeks prior to the last general election with some of the following excerpts:

“The Lord said… Jamaica is in the scales and is being weighed in the balance; the choices of this election will bring either Jubilee or Judgement… So Jamaica, when you wave your flags – whether green or orange – what do you wave them for? Where do your leaders stand on the critical issues of moral and social significance, such as justice, corruption, truth and garrisons? Are they with me or against me? You must know the answer.”

She went on to state three questions, supposedly from the Lord, to the leaders of Jamaica:

* Are you willing to do what is righteous?

* Where do you intend to get your monetary resources from?

* Will you vote for Israel at the United Nations?

In recent times, most Jamaicans have become very cynical towards anything being said by someone who claims to represent God, and the intelligentsia among us will quickly put down anything that has the belief of supernatural inclination.

We are now in our 10th month after the general election and I can’t help but wonder if we are indeed under judgement since the start of the year. I am not by any means insinuating that the present government has brought this judgement upon us. It could well be the people who went to the polls, or it could be the church that decided to stay away from the polls, or it was inevitable whether or not the previous government remained in office. Could it be that the Almighty himself has had enough of our scant regard for righteousness?

The unusual devastation of some of our crops by army worms in St Elizabeth are a cause for concern. In my few years of existence I cannot recall an attack of this magnitude on our crops. We have the slaying of pregnant women by gunmen, consistent maiming of our young girls and boys, the jump in rape cases, the steady increases in crimes such as murders, robberies and break-ins. Then there are the numerous attacks on police officers and school teachers, the upward trend of vigilantism threatening law and order, the rapid rate of devaluation of the dollar, the dengue fever crisis, the looming food shortage due to drought in North America, the ever-surging cost of energy and the countless fires destroying many houses. All these are not to be taken lightly. It could well be that some other forces are at work.

While I have no problem with members of the government having fun drinking and “shelling down” clubs, or having luxurious retreats, I do hope they will consider all the factors and start stemming the tide. I urge them to move with urgency as we have but a short time to get our house in order – and not just our politicians, but all of us have a role to play and we cannot abscond from our responsibilities and blame it all on the politicians. We are all culpable.

Parents, you are responsible for disciplining your children; neighbours ought to be their brothers’ keeper for people must not witness or know of serious offences being committed and keep silent.

The media, which was once very vociferous just a year ago, needs to find that outspokenness again, likewise civil society. It’s hypocritical to hold one government accountable and turn a blind eye to the other.

Let’s start making the right choices, simply by doing the right thing.

Melvin Pennant

warriorsunleashed@gmail.com