LADY Allen ‘bawled out’ and Peter Bunting, the national security minister, sobbed. They both were responding to the frequency with which violent crimes are being committed in this country. Policemen, pregnant women, children, and the elderly are among the victims of murder committed by heartless criminals who see life in Jamaica as cheap and therefore expendable.

Ironically, Lady Allen redeems her almost intemperate outburst with the observation that the performance and conduct of children of two prominent primary schools in St James have helped to change her mind about leaving her beloved country. Yes, hope springs eternal.

Meanwhile, the president of the Senate, Rev the Hon Stanley Redwood, is also intent on calling it quits, migrating to Canada to be with his family. And while he gives good reason and assurance to suggest that he is not turning his back on Jamaica for good, one cannot help but think that if Jamaica had sufficiently fulfilled the elusive dream of being a prosperous, safe nation, the Redwoods would think otherwise. I am in full sympathy with Senator Redwood and admire him for his candour and honesty. After all, sometimes pragmatism must supersede valour. And in this context, it is no secret that because of the spectre of crime and the lack of opportunities, migration has become a most attractive proposition.

Jamaicans are deemed to be among the most violent persons on planet Earth. Some argue that it has to do with our legacy of slavery which in itself was an act of extreme violence. Some even posit that it may well be that we have too much sugar in our blood; while others point to the socio-economic conditions that the majority of black Jamaicans have to live under which have led them to a point of hopelessness and anger.

But it is safe to say that a large number of Jamaicans feel that most of the blame should be placed at the politicians’ feet.

Since 1962, both the People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) have taken turns at running this country. The focus for the most part has been on fulfilling what can be dubbed “The Manley Mission”.

On his 75th birthday, having decided to give up the the leadership of the PNP, Norman Washington Manley said, “My generation had a distinct mission to perform. It was to create a national spirit with which we could identify ourselves as a people for the purpose of achieving independence on the political plane. I am convinced, deeply convinced, that the role of this generation is to proceed to the social and economic reform of Jamaica”. Interestingly, the PNP is now celebrating its 75th anniversary. Regrettably, it has to be shouted loud and clear, “Mission not accomplished!”

But is this a case of ‘mission impossible’? Now that Jamaica once again has to return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under a PNP administration, will it be possible after the four-year agreement for Jamaica to once again say “ta-taaa” to that international body? Clearly, the IMF medicine may well turn out to be a placebo unless we get our act together. And to achieve that objective, the first order of business has to be a cessation of the blame game. In any rocky marriage, counsellors always advise spouses not to dwell on the past. For too long, Opposition parties, opinion journalists, private sector representatives, and the general public have been adept at pointing fingers while offering few worthwhile and workable solutions. Indeed, it is easier to stay in the stands and criticise the players than to get on the playfield to try and make a difference.

Secondly, Jamaicans must be encouraged to take responsibility for themselves, as far as is possible. One of the weaknesses of our political system is the fact that a culture of dependency has been nurtured by those who seek cheap popularity, as well as the need to manipulate the poorer class by way of handouts. JLP Leader Andrew Holness and PNP President Portia Simpson Miller must come clean, once and for all, on this debilitating issue. No country can grow its way out of its economic problems if the productive sector is one comprising mainly persons who continue to wallow in a state of perpetual dependency. That is why politicians get so much blame, because they are perceived as being the be-all and end-all when it comes to an individual’s survival.

Thirdly, we have to get serious about agriculture, and I mean really serious. If we can sufficiently feed ourselves, in addition to creating niche markets for our exotic foods, then we would be on our way towards economic independence. In this vein, dealing effectively with praedial larceny, as well as providing meaningful subsidies/incentives for our farmers, must take priority. For too long we have only paid lip service to this sector, even as our supermarket shelves shamelessly represent our ineptitude in this area of national development.

Fourthly, a nation that lives in fear cannot be productive. The fight against crime needs more than divine intervention. It needs personal, community and national intervention. In other words, a holistic approach is the way forward. We have so far failed to deal effectively with the crime scourge, because we leave everything up to the police, army and the minister. Is it any wonder that every minister of national security has been pilloried for not getting the job done? And is it any wonder that the police have become so frustrated that alleged extra-judicial killings have become the order of the day?

Finally, Jamaica needs a middle-class revolution. The educated and more comfortable among us have taken a back seat, cussing politicians and disparaging the “dutty naygahs” who are seen as the main reasons for our many predicaments. The truth is, if these persons do not come out of their closeted existence far from the madding crowd and get involved, then Jamaica will not attain the 2030 dream.

Let us heed the words of famed American author James Thurber, who said: “Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.”

Lloyd B Smith is a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the People’s National Party or the Government of Jamaica.

lloydbsmith@hotmail.com