TODAY is the 76th anniversary of the inauguration of the People’s National Party (PNP). Its first aims were to have universal adult suffrage and selfgovernment for Jamaica. In 1940, the PNP declared itself a socialist party, but this has been shelved from time to time according to the political climate. No doubt, the PNP has shelved socialism for at least the last 25 years.

Norman Washington Manley held the post of president in the PNP for the first 30 years of its existence. Alexander Bustamante, Norman Manley’s first cousin who headed the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union in the English-speaking Caribbean, was a member of the PNP in its initial stages and was on the platform at the Ward Theatre when the PNP was formed. In 1942, he left the PNP, and on July 8, 1943, formed the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Although about a hundred political parties have sprung up in Jamaica since 1938, the only two to really survive have been the PNP and the JLP.

Universal adult suffrage was granted in November 1944, and on December 14, 1944, Jamaica had its first election with this right. Fifteen general elections have passed, and in all elections since 1944 we have had a government led by either the JLP or the PNP. Jamaica’s days as a self-governing colony lasted 23 years and almost eight months, becoming an independent nation on August 6, 1962.

Last week I wrote about the improvements in Jamaica since the time I was in first form at Jamaica College, 50 years ago. It seems that most readers liked the column and I appreciate the kind words. But, as usual, there are detractors. One point made by those who disagree with me was that the economy was failing as seen in the depreciation of the dollar, our debt bill, and so on.

First, I was giving an overview from the early years of political independence and I did not take sides with the regime of any political party. Second, the line taken about the state of the economy is an opposition politician’s argument used by either political party when in opposition. As important as keeping the books certainly is, people’s lives have improved in real terms if they had no shoes in yesteryear but have shoes today. If they had no electricity, running water or other utilities in yesteryear, but have them today, or lived in wattle and daub huts in yesteryear but have proper houses today, improvement has occurred.

And, as important as it is to get out of debt, when speaking about improvement in real terms, a discussion about bookkeeping is irrelevant. I write this not to be irresponsible — God forbid — but to help to teach our people to be appreciative: “Oh that today you would listen to His voice, harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in he day at Massah in the dessert, where your fathers tempted me, although they had seen my work.” (Psalm 95:8). The pro-colonialists in Jamaica love to compare our economy with that of Grand Cayman, which is still a colony of Great Britain. But Grand Cayman is not a crown colony. Grand Cayman has self-government and all improvements there have been done since selfgovernment status was granted.

The Scriptures might not give every detail, but one can imagine that, at Meribah in the wilderness, an anti-Moses party seeking power was stirring up the people. In the New Testament we read of the Pharisees who stirred the crowd to shout “Crucify Him” when they made false accusations against Jesus Christ. Isn’t this similar to prominent politicians in Jamaica who, on a political platform, give a signal to start some unruly behaviour? Yes, bookkeeping is important, but how important are the books to Opposition politicians of whatever party when they make inflammatory remarks, deliberately foment violence, or exaggerate viruses? Some politicians speak about bookkeeping only when it suits them. Politicians will be politicians anywhere you go.

In 1976, there was a meeting in Jamaica of the board of the International Monetary Fund. And, as you would expect, a ‘whole heap’ of foreign journalists came with them. All of a sudden there were fires in Trench Town that were not connected to the usual flareups of violence that happens in the inner city. It was believed by some that it was deliberately done to destroy the tourist industry with sensational stories in the foreign media. In recent times, Opposition politicians have exaggerated the chikungunya virus. How nationalistic are those inflammatory remarks about if we recall that we have a tourist industry? I call on the words Ernie Smith sang in 1976: “Mi nuh care who a do it, Jah seh dat nuh right.” It is unfortunate that when seeking persons of integrity, often we have to look outside of politics.

PS: I was in Sabina Park in 1968 when the riot squad threw tear gas into the crowd as they threw bottles on to the field in protest against Sang-Hue’s decision that Basil Butcher was out. About 30 years later I met Sang-Hue while travelling on a bus. Sang-Hue’s humility in riding on buses reminded me of the late Mahatma Gandhi of India and the late Monsignor Gladstone Wilson of Jamaica.

ekrubm765@yahoo.com