Dear Editor:

We need to wake up to the reality that our country is in an economic and social mess, and we need to fix it.

We cannot take offence to this statement (Owen Arthur, former Prime Minister of Barbados in delivering the inaugural independence lecture of the School of Politics, warned that if remedial action was not taken, Barbados could suffer the same fate as its Caribbean Community (Caricom) partners, Guyana and Jamaica) when the truth is as plain as day.

We need a wake-up call to realise that Olympic success and record sales do not improve the lives of the average Jamaican. Our dollar has gone to over J$100 to one US dollar. Can winning Olympic gold medals change that startling reality?

We have one of the highest murder rates in the world. Can Tessanne Chin winning The Voice change that?

I know it sounds harsh, but it is true. We cannot take the achievements of a few individuals who have worked hard to get where they are as a sign that our country is progressing. We can look to them as role models to see what we are capable of as a people, but we can’t think that their success alone will get us out of the rut we have put ourselves in.

Wake up Jamaica! We are holding on to past achievements and images of success and progress when we need to dig our heels in and start some serious nation-building, so that as our pledge says, “Jamaica may under God, increase in beauty, fellowship and prosperity and play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race”.

Yes, we can be proud of our country, and yes, we can be proud of our achievements, but national pride alone does not build a nation — hard work does.

Let us take this as a springboard for self-introspection and see what we can do to rebuild Jamaica land we love.

–2blessed2bstressed