Dear Editor,

If there is one thing our short history as an independent nation has taught us, it is that the weaker the Opposition the more corrupt the Government. Weakening the Opposition isn’t strengthening the ruling party, it is enabling corruption in every sphere of our society.

As soon as the People’s National Party (PNP) realised that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) had began its usual fractious nature, it struck. It quietly returned Mr Richard Azan. This is the tip of an iceberg that Jamaica will not be able to survive this time.

Edward Seaga was the best manager of the Jamaican economy, but he was also the worst Opposition leader. After years of quarrelsome and divisive leadership, under Seaga, the JLP won state power in 2007. By then the country had descended into the bottomless pit of corruption. The most outstanding performers during the JLP’s reign were Andrew Holness in education, Dr Christopher Tufton in agriculture, and Audley Shaw in finance. Therefore, Holness would always be looking over his shoulder for Tufton, even though he lost his parliamentary seat.

Tufton, people say, should have poured all the resources of his ministry into his rural constituency, instead he went for national development in rice production, cassava production and greenhouse technology. Holness simultaneously came up with innovative ideas in education, it was hard to choose between the two.

When Shaw challenged the new leader some people thought that Tufton must be the hidden hand in the velvet glove. Holness decided that Tufton was the enemy, not a competitor. Disregarding his contribution, Holness went after Tufton with everything he had and finally succeeded in neutralising him. The most hurtful statement by Tufton that is said to have irked Holness was the one about Holness being uncomfortable with bright people around him. Holness is unwittingly proving this to be so, he is driving some 12″ nails into the coffin of the JLP. He is making it impossible for us to ever have a viable Opposition.

Holness isn’t Portia’s “young son”, he is Seaga’s prodigy, and he seems here to finish the demolition job Seaga started. Holness is a chess player and probably versed in strategic moves, he may believe that he has outmanoeuvred his opponents within the JLP, but what he has done is handed the PNP another 18.5 years in power. Will we recover from such an onslaught? The answer is easy, does night follow day?

Mark Clarke

Siloah, St Elizabeth

mark_clarke9@yahoo.com