Dear Editor,

Jamaica should be first and foremost for Jamaicans at home and abroad, whether born and bred or naturalised.

I will remain convinced Jamaicans are more than capable of confronting and solving our socio-economic challenges, including drastically reducing the homicide rate. I believe in Jamaicans and like Governor General Sir Patrick Allen wholeheartedly believe that we can use what is right with Jamaica to fix what is wrong with Jamaica.

But too many, including some public and private sector leaders, seem to think otherwise based on product preferences, policies formulated, and the foreign expertise often sought when many Jamaicans have the proven competence.

When I worked at an industrial plant in the late 80s, leading experts were brought in from North America on three separate occasions to solve a technical matter. They were paid tens of thousands of American dollars, but all failed to fix the fault, which a Jamaican technician later did. This employee received no promotion, salary increase, or even a minimal monetary reward for saving the company millions of dollars.

There have been numerous such cases over the decades. I was reliably informed by a former senior medical officer of an interesting encounter with a foreign expert a few decades ago. This expert was 21 years old, fresh from college, with absolutely no work experience, and was among the “top-class experts” in a team from Europe to advise us on health sector reform.

Foreign input, it seems, is always needed. As we embark on the road to republic status, I would have rejoiced but would have been very surprised if foreigners, or at least one foreigner, was not on the Constitutional Reform Committee. The constitution of a country belongs to and should reflect the will and cultural values of the people. No foreigner should sit on that committee.

It is true that we do not exist in isolation and should seek to learn from other jurisdictions, but constitutional reform is like a family matter and only citizens of Jamaica are family members. Family discussions and decisions, especially on crucial and sensitive matters, should involve only family members. This Canadian professor is not a Jamaican citizen and even if the most brilliant in his field is excluding at least one Jamaican on the committee. Jamaicans have more than enough expertise. No one is smarter than all of us, and together we are all wiser than this professor.

The path to greatness, both individually and nationally, begins when we believe more in ourselves.

Daive R Facey

DR.Facey@gmail.com