Dear Editor,

For a long time Jamaica has been suffering from the impact of brain drain.

Sadly we appear to be focusing on the issue of economic influences, which is only a fraction of our problem, and may just be the manifestation of what is really wrong in our country.

The fact of the matter is, Jamaica has become an unattractive option for families and legions of educated citizens, in the best years of their lives, who are trying to attain and maintain middle-class status.

Over the past three decades or so, Jamaica has become a space characterised by mobocracy, informality, and entrenched corruption. And, unfortunately, our leaders have engaged in intellectual dishonesty and the politicisation of our challenges, which is now par for the course, instead of catalysing meaningful change and transformation. As a result, instead of building the foundation for a better nation, our people are deluded by the two tribes, who fight relentlessly to command the right to share up the country among those with reach and influence.

The economic veracities will swing in both directions, anywhere in the world, and we will all need to adjust to the changing personal, local, and global economic realities. What is debilitating and forcing the hope from our people, who want a better life, is, inter alia, the fact that we live each day cowering in fear of violent crimes; our education process is unresponsive to the needs of the many and prepares the few for limited opportunities; there is no faith in our justice system as it hobbles along; our health-care system is overworked and unable to deliver; and our society lacks order and structure.

Simply put, whether economic challenges or not, every ordinary Jamaican has a hard choice to make about remaining in a space of daily unpredictability, inconsistencies, lack of accountability, entrenched corruption, and with no hope of change on the horizon.

Jamaica has become hostile to families and the people who wish to play by the rules. We simply cannot ask our children and young adults to tough it out when there is no indication of a better day. We could ride out the economic storm, but the social decadence is dragging us down a dark abyss. It is sad.

Mark A Hylton

Montego Bay, St James

markahylton@hotmail.com