We are living in interesting times. Most are agreed that trust has declined; some suggest its deliberate erosion.

The State is captured, military expenditure has risen, many of my friends are now worshiping at the altar of Draco. A delusional Dacta (Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke) is in denial.

Anju (Prime Minister Andrew Holness) has warned against intellectuals misleading the people. Last year he made mention of members of his Administration who still felt that they were not accountable to the public, but that generally, the stance he had taken was to make the Government accountable and to build public trust.

Responding to charges of “dictatorial tendencies”, he has said, “I don’t think that there is any citizen that could say they are fearful of the Government or the Government is acting in a way that is inimical to their interest.” And he has remarked, rather imprecisely, that, “They’ve been many protests and many persons who are trying to stir up class war and civil strife and all kinds of issues.”

But is there a class war? What if not, is the inequality of which some people are now writing? Is austerity and inflation not war on poor people? Are ginormous bank profits in an anaemic economy not the spoils of war? What do we make of the plunder of the National Housing Trust? A couple days ago Anju reportedly called on Jamaicans “to remain positive and to desist from listening to the negative views of some people, noting that the economy was recovering well and showing “signs of resilience”. “I want you to keep on the side of the positive, keep on the side of the hopeful, keep on the side of the progressive, because if you listen to the negatives, then they become self-fulfilling prophecies,” he was reported as saying. A public servant’s role is not that of a critic nor is he Pollyanna. Great leaders are never economical with the truth. They have to earn the people’s trust honestly.

Ambassador Emeritus Audley Rodriques once headed Jamaican missions in Venezuela, Kuwait and South Africa.