Dear Editor,

Being sensitive people, Jamaicans are unappreciative of criticism; however, rebukes will always be the result when people fail to improve themselves.

Even more serious is the unfortunate reality that policymakers think that Jamaica can advance when the national culture is an impediment to progress. There is a robust link between culture and economic growth, and the predominant cultural traits in Jamaica are positively associated with economic stagnation. People joke about the notion of “Jamaica time” without recognising that a lack of regard for time is linked to lower productivity. Some even dare to use the term “dunce” as a compliment since they don’t understand that many problems stem from Jamaicans being or acting like stupid people.

A case in point is the decision of taximen to plunge the country into chaos by striking and assaulting strikebreakers and passengers. If taximen were complying with regulations, they would not require an amnesty in the first place, and if they think that some tickets were unjustly distributed, they must articulate their case without disrupting the country.

There are laws plaguing the transportation sector that should be repealed because they only serve to enrich the Government’s coffers. So taximen do have legitimate concerns since they are contending with an extractive State. However, they must think intelligently to chart a better course for the sector and feel less. But thinking logically is difficult for low IQ people. At 75.08 (https://wisevoter.com/country-rankings/average-iq-by-country/#jamaica), Jamaica’s average IQ indicates that the average citizen is unable to reason like an adult. Intelligence is heritable; however, better schooling and nutrition can increase IQs.

Although IQ predicts economic performance and social outcomes, policymakers are refraining from having a national discussion to address Jamaica’s low IQ problem. During his tenure as Singapore’s leader, Lee Kuan Yew told bright men to marry brilliant women so that they could produce intelligent children. Because IQ is correlated with low fertility, Jamaicans with lower intelligence will reproduce more, thereby complicating national problems. Essentially, Jamaica will continue to experience more dysgenic selections to aggravate pre-existing crises.

Raising IQ will make Jamaica a manageable society and prevent chaotic events like a strike initiated by rowdy taximen. As long as policymakers refuse to deal with the scourge of low IQ, Jamaica will always be ensconced in a throng of challenges.

Lipton Matthews

lo_matthews@yahoo.com