WHEN I first decided to make a serious attempt at establishing Jamaica’s martial arts fighters on the world stage, I considered a few factors.

Firstly, I knew that one style would be inadequate so I negotiated with leaders in the local martial arts fraternity to allow for a merger, specifically for the purpose of international competition.

I also looked at training and performance in other sports and compared one against the other. Of course, I discovered that of all sports Jamaica participated in, they did best in track and field.

So I dug deeper. Why? What was the reason that track and field was the only sport we were considered the best at? I looked on genetic talent, training systems and management of the sport.

So during my probe I found out it wasn’t our most participated in activity, as more persons did football.

The sport (track and field) was to a large degree anchored on one local event, that being Boys’ and Girls’ Champs. There was, of course, talent, but there was no scientific basis to say it was genetic.

Their training, however, was different from most other sports in that the greater emphasis was on their strength training. They literally focused on strengthening their bodies for the majority of the preparation. So I stole this system for my fighters.

It worked like a charm. Jamaica’s fighters are among the best in the world. One of the reasons is that we adopted track and field strength training. A second was that a lot of effort, for decades, was directed at developing athletes through their own martial arts systems. It was a winning combination.

Many persons in Jamaica spend a lot of time speaking about corruption and blaming our crime on corruption. I don’t often write about it. Not because I don’t think it’s important, but more because I think it detracts from the real threat, that being gangs.

I also believe that most police officers are committed crusaders, and those who are involved with gangs is so minimal that it is sad that it tarnishes so many.

I think we have made great strides in corruption control but it still haunts Customs, policing and politics. There must be a reason why all of these areas of Government are dogged with this syndrome of corruption.

So, as I did with track and field, I looked on our most successful areas of government and, by extension, corruption control of those areas.

The two areas that I am of the opinion have no real or recent reports of corruption is our judges and our prosecutors. This extends to the clerks in the parish courts.

This is something that we take for granted. We shouldn’t! What we should do is study them to see why. So let’s break it down.

Education? Could this be it? Maybe, but politicians are generally educated and they are constantly calling out each other on corruption, so it can’t be that alone.

Maybe it’s the legal training? Possibly, but quite a few lawyers are charged for dishonest practices. There are also many in politics who have been accused of corruption, so it’s not the study of law and the awesome responsibility of being an officer of the court.

Salary? Well the pay is okay for judges and barely adequate for the prosecutors, but it’s not good. Corporate law and private practice in general pay much more.

The pay, however, is still better than the police force, the army or Customs.

However, human desires are divided between wants and needs.

The pay scale for both judges and prosecutorial staff can provide basic needs. They can pay rent, utilities, groceries and transportation — not at the level they may desire but still they won’t be hungry and homeless.

This is not the same for many other areas of government. You can literally be homeless and improperly fed if you depend on a police constable’s pay. This applies to many who work for Customs, the civil service and even the teaching and nursing professions.

You see, that ‘want’ bar has to be overcome if you’re going to discourage corruption. It’s covered extensively in the Beveredge Report, the report that changed England and its approach to poverty. But it’s got to be more than just money.

Tradition and exposure to positive influencers could be it. Think about it, all chief justices and directors of the Office of Public Prosecution, in recent recorded history, have all been persons of great integrity, even if there are issues regarding personality clashes.

This I think helps, simply knowing that you are responsible for maintaining a standard that is demonstrated to you everyday.

So, a salary that you can actually survive on and pride in your profession assists in corruption control. So, two down.

I think the lack of persons constantly tempting judges and prosecutors assists also. There is no real history or culture of bribery, so persons simply don’t try.

So what can be done to get all groups of public service at the same level as the two under study?

We firstly have to really ensure, at the very least, they are paid an income they can survive on. Then it has to have a structured system of systematic improvement.

Bribery also needs to be rebranded as “not acceptable”.

My father used to say “Nuh mek nuh bwoy seh him buy you.” This is really what taking a bribe is all about. Someone belittling you! Not helping you out, not a sign that he “rates” you.

These principles, admirable as they are, are difficult to display when you are stripped of your dignity because of your inability to provide for yourself or your family.

So the beginning of the end of this crisis lies with the restoration of dignity, and a few good ideas.

The good part is, we have the template. Now we just need to use it.

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