Dear Editor,

Students from the University of the West Indies have revealed their shock relating to the lack of transparency and accountability in local institutions. We as citizens complain, protest and wail about issues that have been present in our society for decades when all that is truly required are truthfulness and genuineness. These characteristics are relevant to the establishment of any

good relationship.

At present, Jamaica is viewed as lacking. We have adopted the norm of settling. We have stopped asking pertinent questions and actively demanding transparent actions from our elected politicians. Nowadays, it is perceived that the withholding of information deemed valuable, both at the representative and individualistic levels, is acceptable. The socialisation of this practice has led to our detriment.

There is no sense of altruism, not even a true sense of transparency nor accountability. This aspect of our political culture is even present within our own tertiary institutions. Students just lack that drive to demand better conditions to improve their learning opportunities. We fail, as individuals, to ensure that the people we elect to represent us are actually promoting and upholding the principles of good governance.

All institutions have problems; as a matter of fact none is perfect. When a government, or any institution for that matter, is transparent, it establishes trust and promotes equity in order to give people the satisfaction that they are involved and are major players. The Government’s numerous initiatives do not take into account the minorities within the majority. Theoretically we encourage the tenets, but we do not practice what we preach.

UWI Mona Governance Society

A project of the Department of Government

governancesocietymona@gmail.com