Dear Editor,

Events of recent weeks should have reinforced to all well-thinking Jamaicans just how doomed we, as a people, are unless we reduce our reliance on politicians and cease to expect that anything good will come from them.

As bad as Portia may be, Andrew proves to be no better.

Portia Simpson Miller has shown poor judgement in reappointing Richard Azan — much the same bad judgement that got him in trouble. What absolute arrogance? What disregard for good governance and her people, whom she loves so much? Further, her refusal to answer questions posed by the media not only puts her lack of intellect into question, but again can be deduced as her total disdain for those who elected her to serve.

As bad as she may be though, lest we forget, she “whipped” Andrew, as she was gleefully quoted as having told an international audience while in Japan, recently.

I was one of those who heard the prime minister’s inauguration speech, approximately two years ago, during which she made a very strong statement about how she would view corruption within her Government. Less than 24 months later, and on the heels of Azan’s “politically corrupt” actions in the Spalding Market saga — as suggested by the contractor general — Portia reappoints him and does not see the need to offer us any explanation. What a shame!

As per usual, she seems to reward what she perceives as loyalty to her, as she clearly feels that to be far more important than her being loyal to those who elected her to serve.

Andrew Holness, however, is a whole other matter. His holier-than-thou façade has been shattered, and the real Andrew is being revealed to us… and it doesn’t look pretty. His talk of “a new way of politics” is drowned out by his old-style, tribalistic and “vindictive” actions against those who dare to oppose him. As he waves his hands while speaking he makes one dizzy, if not already dizzied by the nonsense going on.

The revelation of Holness’s request for undated resignation letters, and his apparent use of those letters in instances aside from those initially intended, certainly does not smell like “new and transformational politics”. It is an action of which, I am sure, some before him may well be proud.

Are these the ones we really expect to rescue us from the plight we as a country and people are in? If so, may God help us. Jamaica’s choice between “Mama P” and her “son” truly puts us between a rock and a hard place, or perhaps the devil and the deep blue sea? Either way, we are doomed if we really expect them to “lead” us anywhere but into the abyss of prolonged poverty and increased crime and corruption.

D S

St Andrew