Dear Editor,

An increasing number of Jamaicans have lost faith in the capacity of the Jamaican body politic to enhance our social and economic development. The performances of our politicians, especially their daily utterances, often lack the ingredient of rigorous political debate and assessment, and thus credibility.

The proliferation of repeated announcements followed by total inaction is an example of empty tactics to escape the embarrassment of non-performance.

The efforts spent on being contentious and scoring political points is indeed alarming. The Administration, in its performance to date, clearly demonstrates a lack of readiness and preparation for assuming the mantle of national leadership. It is remarkable that some ministers have been unable to develop and implement clear policy directions pertinent to the public welfare.

In many instances internecine warfare is rife within most ministries and the political directorate seems incapable of addressing the problem.

It is reported that some agencies during the last Administration became outreaches of the JLP and were packed with many political activists with no regard for the efficient conduct of those agencies.

One year after a new Administration, this status quo is intact. This results in alarming inertia in these agencies due to incompatibility of political intent and administrative laziness.

There is urgent need for leadership to find the wherewithal to enable the State machinery to operate in a manner that ensures the welfare of our people. It may well require that some ministers be removed. They have demonstrated little or no ability to effectively manage their portfolio responsibilities, (refreshing exceptions being ministers Paulwell, Arscott, Thwaites, and Clarke).

On the other hand, the daily utterances of the Opposition clearly indicate their inability to understand their role and function. It would seem that they interpret this role as one of being reactive and quarrelsome on every little issue, rather than developing alternative policies for presentation to the general public.

All the energies expended on the purchase of motor vehicles for public servants, including ministers, amount to nothing but political posturing. If there were insufficient vehicles to conduct the roles in the public service, then it follows that vehicles have to be purchased.

If you accept that such vehicles are essential for the execution of their duties, it would have been more meaningful on the part of the Opposition spokesperson to develop an alternative strategy with respect to the provision of transportation for public officers, including the sale of such vehicles to departing ministers and civil servants.

This could result in the development of a car pool for each ministry or agency with drivers and all the necessary infrastructure. It is this kind of alternative analysis that should attend the public utterances emanating from our political practitioners.

It is clear that our politicians believe that the public is impressed by their nonsensical utterances. If the conduct of our politics continues in this manner, without an infusion of enhanced intellectual input, then the hopelessness of the Jamaican people will increase exponentially.

Our economic and social malaise is not without solution if we can find an inclusive and unified approach to the problems. The posturing of the political parties has clearly demonstrated an inability to come to grips with our problems.

Errol Ennis

Former minister of state

Ministry of Agriculture