Dear Editor,

The present Administration must be commended for shifting Jamaica’s foreign policy to the international right.

As a small country, it is prudent to be known as an economic power rather than the defender of the developing world. For most of our history political leaders have chosen to align themselves with left-wing leaders under the guise of Third World solidarity. This is in stark contrast to the pragmatism of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew who, during the 1960s, wasted no time in partnering with Western democracies. Lee Kuan Yew had the foresight to realise that it is wiser to associate with those wielding global power, than to be distracted by socialist bunkum. When our leaders were enamoured with the fight against capitalism in the 1970s, Lee Kuan Yew was being advised by Harvard’s Raymond Vernon and courting foreign direct investment. Over 40 years later Jamaica is experiencing weak growth and Singapore has a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of US$61,766.

Yet some criticise the present Administration for having a relationship with Israel and denouncing Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro. They argue that in the past Jamaica’s foreign policy was consistent and the developing world looked to us for guidance. But relationships in the world of international relations are often expedient; therefore, only an insensate Administration would refrain from acting accordingly.

Jamaica’s decision to support the Organization of American States (OAS) resolution to not recognise the legitimacy of the corrupt Maduro Administration makes perfect sense, because Venezuela, at present, is in shambles. On the other hand, choosing to remain silent in the aftermath of Juan Guaido endorsing himself as the leader of Venezuela is strategic. Jamaica already declared a lack of support for Maduro, so it will not profit us to endorse Guaido, we do not need to play an aggressive role in the affairs of another country, that is the job of America.

Critics are opining that hypocrisy is evident when our leaders withhold criticisms of the perceived human rights violations in China and Israel. Such pundits are obviously misguided, since aggravating our benefactors could never be in our interest. Jamaican foreign policy ought to be one of non-interference; we simply cannot afford to become entangled in the problems of other countries.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith are pragmatists who acknowledge the role of expediency in foreign policy. The people of Jamaica should be happy that our foreign policy is now practical and not based on the sentiment of affiliation with Third Worldism. It is absurd for leaders to brag that Jamaica punches above her weight globally, when failure is evident everywhere in the society.

Lipton Matthews

lo_matthews@yahoo.com