The Fox and the Crow is perhaps Aesop’s (a Greek fabulist), most famous fable. As the story goes, one bright morning, as the fox was following his sharp nose through the wood in search of a bite to eat, he saw a crow on the limb of a tree overhead. This was by no means the first crow the fox had ever seen. What caught his attention this time and made him stop for a second look was that the lucky crow held a bit of cheese in her beak.

“No need to search any farther,” thought sly Master Fox. “Here is a dainty bite for my breakfast.”

Up he trotted to the foot of the tree in which the crow had been sitting and, looking up admiringly, said: “Good morning, beautiful creature!”

The Crow, her head cocked on one side, watched the fox suspiciously. But she kept her beak tightly closed on the cheese and did not return his greeting.

“What a charming creature she is!” said the fox. “How her feathers shine! What a beautiful form and what splendid wings! Such a wonderful bird should have a very lovely voice, since everything else about her is so perfect. Could she sing just one song, I know I should hail her queen of birds.”

Listening to these flattering words, the crow forgot all her suspicions. She opened her beak wide to utter her loudest caw and down fell the cheese straight into the Fox’s open mouth.

Do not trust a flatterer, and actions speak louder than words are the clear lessons here.

In the lead-up to the next national election we should ensure that we do not become like the gullible crow. Those who promise voters the moon and stars, minus an iota of how these celestial rewards will be practically delivered, are political scammers.

Last Sunday, Andrew Holness, leader of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), spoke at the constituency conference of Clarendon South Eastern at Vere Technical High School.

While Mr Holness was on the political stump in a seat formerly held by former prime ministers Sir Alexander Bustamante and Hugh L Shearer, president of the People’s National Party (PNP) Mark Golding was speaking at a meeting of his National Executive Council (NEC) in the constituency of St Mary Central — a seat which has been held for the last 20 years by Dr Morais Guy and, before him, by Horace Clarke.

It is not an accident that Holness and Golding were in safe JLP and PNP territory. Well, let me quickly qualify ‘safe’ in relation to St Mary Central because voter support for the PNP there has nose-dived in the last two general elections. I don’t think it is unreasonable to say that St Mary Central is now a marginal. The figures are on the website of the Election Commission of Jamaica for those who wish to view them.

Anyways, I listened keenly to highlights of their presentations carried in credible media. Holness outlined achievements which objective assessment locally and internationally, agree have situated Jamaica in a much better place, in many respects the best since political independence in 1962. Not surprisingly, he highlighted our steady exchange rate, positive net international reserves (NIR), historical reduction of our national debt as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), and the numerous housekeeping positives that are happening and/or will soon happen. Holness delivered a clear picture of the direction in which Jamaica will continue under his leadership and what our country will look like after another five years of the JLP at Jamaica House.

Golding’s continued dodge

Golding, on the other hand, for the umpteenth occasion, did not indicate the direction in which he intends to take the country and what Jamaica will look like if the PNP were to be returned to Jamaica House.

I maintain that all well-thinking citizens have a duty to guard against empty sloganeering. Our politics going forward must be situated on agendas of growth and development, not tomfoolery and guff. I maintain, too, that those who shout the loudest do not necessarily deserved to be listened to the most.

At last Sunday’s NEC, Golding said the compensation review exercise lacked equity. And for the umpteenth time he failed to say what he would do to rectify what he claims are inequities.

Again, for the umpteenth time, Golding decried the salary increases of parliamentarians, while he nimbly accepts 20 per cent of the increase, and has told those he leads in the Parliament to do as they wish. Golding continues to defend his action on the bases that he was given the increase, and that allowing Opposition members to make their own decisions is evidence of lack of arrogance on his part.

Does Golding know that politics is an adult sport, not a dodge? Wishy-washy, peekaboo dodging is not synonymous with sustained growth and development anywhere.

Golding is the alternative prime minister. He has been auditioning for the post for almost three years. I maintain that it is an insult to the people of this country that after constant to-ing and fro-ing in the country, the PNP has failed to present a national plan which specifically itemises how constituencies which Golding revisits are earmarked for growth and development. This is unacceptable in 2023.

A poll paid for by the PNP and done by noted pollster Don Anderson which shows that the PNP is closing the gap on the ruling JLP was waved before the country last Tuesday by Golding. There are loud whispers along the public pavement that Golding’s actions are part and parcel of an elaborate dodge.

Golding is using the findings to hopefully stave off a possible leadership challenge at the annual conference in September, according to information in the public square. Additionally, discerning political observers say Golding is using the poll findings to try and paper-over deep and growing internal cracks in his party that are caused by several severely fractious internal constituency elections and long-standing political lacerations from the bitter leadership contest between principals of ‘RiseUnited’ and ‘OnePNP’ nearly three years ago.

Political pyrotechnics

Well-thinking citizens should be very frightened that a political party which has not presented even a scintilla of a practical and fundable plan for the growth and development of our country continues to spout that it is able, ready and qualified to take up national duties. This is supremely scary.

Golding at the mentioned presser decried crime and violence in the country. He exclaimed that we are generating students who are entering high schools who cannot read, write, and or do basic mathematics. He is evidently, and conveniently oblivious to this fact: “A majority of the 19 police divisions that cover Jamaica have recorded declines in murders nearing the halfway point in the year.

“Twelve police divisions reported fewer killings between January 1 and June 16 this year, topped by a 57.9 per cent decrease in Trelawny, according to the latest Serious Crime Report published by the police.” (The Gleaner, June 20, 2023)

There’s been a 13 per cent decline in murders since the start of the year, but sensational sound bite obsession invariably neglects facts; consequently, discerning citizens have a duty to expose this strategy of political gimmickry.

In a curmudgeon-like manner Golding neglected to acknowledge these important and related facts: “The Ministry of Education is reporting that 85.8 per cent of students who sat the 2023 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams were placed in a school of their choice.” (The Gleaner, June 23, 2023)

I believe it is a preoccupation with political myopia why Golding avoided any reference to this fact also: “The Ministry of Education and Youth has revised its national summer school programme to what is now called the National Summer Academy 2023.

“This is part of the ministry’s efforts to provide extended learning opportunities for students currently in grades five and six who still require additional support to recover from the negative effects of the disruptions in their learning journey caused by the COVID–19 pandemic.”

I could adumbrate various other improvements that have happened and are happening at various rungs of the education ladder.

Maybe if Golding had allowed himself to, he would have recognised the recent updates on how long-standing underachievement in our education system is being strategically addressed.

Given Golding’s ebullition at his presser last Tuesday I believe he has a duty to provide his and the PNP’s new and/or better ideas on how to grow the Jamaican economy and his and the PNP’s new and/or better ideas to transform the education systems. He has a duty to also tell Jamaicans what new and/or better ideas he has to remedy the long-standing matter of social decline and how he plans to practically fix the issues of major crimes, and murder in particular.

I get it; contrast is used as an important vehicle in politics. But constantly shouting that the sky is falling when it is not is not political contrast it is deflection and false rhetoric, which invariably devolve into fearmongering and the application of a kind of desperation which this country should permanently relegate to the political rear-view mirror.

Scare tactics 40 years ago were useful political tools. Today, however, I believe the majority of Jamaicans recognise them for what they are.

Understandably, Golding has several reasons to be running scared. To keen observer of local politics it is obvious that Golding is fighting for his political life. He knows that if he does not get a win in a consequential election, or at least manages a very respectable draw in the next national election his political goose is cooked. Political desperation does strange things to people.

In the run-up to the next national election some are going take on the political cloak of the fox in Aesop’s fable. We must diligently guard against them tricking us into giving away our bread.

Garfield Higgins is an educator, journalist and a senior advisor to the minister of education and youth. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com.