Who remembers when thousands of Jamaicans had our ears and eyes glued to media, listening keenly and watching attentively for updates on measures to control the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus from Dr Jacqueline Bisasor McKenzie, the chief medical officer (CMO); Dr Melody Ennis, director of family health services in the Ministry of Health; Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton; and other health officials?

Who remembers when Jamaica was lauded locally, regionally and internationally, for her timely implementation of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19?

Who remembers when our health-care workers, especially the ones on the front line of caring for Jamaicans who were infected with a virus which has to date killed 1.8 million in Latin America and the Caribbean and just over 7.1 million people globally, were hailed as heroes, by all well-thinking Jamaicans?

It was not so long ago!

Today the People’s National Party (PNP) is castigating those very people. Why? It is all part and parcel of a decrepit type of politics which, I believe, has infected 89 Old Hope Road.

This latest 180-degree turn reminds me of lyrics from a 1979 song by one of the most soulful voices in music, the late David Ruffin, lead singer of the Temptations — “So soon we change.”

Four Sundays ago I said here that Trump-like techniques had infiltrated the Mark Golding-led PNP. This severe downgrade is evident in the deluge of fake news, drive-by shootings on reputations, a concentration on revenge politics, a trailer-load of unrealisable promises, and a revelatory 42-day hesitation of Golding to confirm that he would renounce his British citizenship.

I believe the unwarranted attacks by Senator Peter Bunting on the board of the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), led by Wayne Chen, is a harbinger. Hundreds of well-thinking Jamaicans serve dutifully on public boards throughout this country. Most give freely of their time and talents. There are no sacred cows, I get that. But there is a well-established procedure for delving into and dealing with governance issues regarding public boards. The PNP knows this, surely.

Echoing their seniors, days ago the PNP’s Patriots called for resignation of the CMO and permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health. Why? The Patriots say because of an increase in the country’s maternal mortality.

It should severely alarm all well-thinking Jamaicans that some who are hankering after high and low political office seem total strangers to the duties and functions of the civil service vis-à-vis that of the elected political directorate. Poisoning the very well from which they are anxious to drink is political suicide. Or is that a future PNP Administration plans to dig up wells from the past?

There is a sordid kind of politics that Jamaica must never return. The signs are clear that some want to march us into an unusable past. We must resist these unpatriotic masqueraders with every democratic sinew.

Again civil servants are not sacred cows, no one is, but there are clear and long-established procedures for addressing matters of their performance or lack thereof. The PNP’s gratuitous attack on civil servants in recent days are glimpses of a terrible past and snapshots of an awful future.

Where did we see this movie before? Recall when then Opposition Leader and PNP President Dr Peter Phillips frighteningly unpacked his political tool kit:

“He said it is clear that the Ministry of Education does not know what it is doing, and this shows up very clearly in relation to the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) introduced by the ministry to replace GSAT [Grade Six Achievement Tests].” ( Jamaica Observer, November 27, 2018)

This was not the first time Dr Phillips was delving into desperation politics. Recall in May 2016, when then Opposition spokesman on finance, Dr Peter Phillips, went on a rampage with a false narrative about “sham budget”. The Gleaner, May 18, 2016 story said, among other things: “Dr Peter Phillips, Opposition spokesman on finance, yesterday declared the budget presented less than a week ago by Finance Minister Audley Shaw a ‘sham’ and warned Jamaicans to brace for a new round of taxes in the current fiscal year.

“ ‘It is clear from the unreliable budget numbers that the Government will impose additional taxes on the people of Jamaica later in this financial year,’ Phillips said as he took note of the $13.8-billion tax package proposed to make up for $12.5 billion in income tax relief announced for PAYE workers earning up to $1 million.

“Making his contribution to the 2016-2017 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, Phillips contended that both the recurrent and revenue sides of the budget were unreal.”

Dr Phillips’s statements were shocking, to say the least, especially since the budget, which Shaw delivered — except for the implantation of the $1.5-million income tax benefit — was a transitional one.

Recall in another story carried by the Old Lady of North Street, on May 17, 2016, Dr Phillips went even further in an apparent fit of desperation to score political points.

“The Opposition spokesman questioned whether the budget was actually compiled by competent government officials in the finance ministry or by political forces.”

Phillips’ unjustified attack on the integrity of high-level civil servants showed glimpses of his talent of obfuscation. What’s more his insinuations on the budget were ironic, since its preparation began under his supervision before the people of Jamaica rejected his party at the polls on February 25, 2016.

Rural folks say ‘Tom drunk but Tom nuh fool.” I agree!

Dr Phillips and the PNP were massively rejected on September 3, 2020, in our 18th general election. The Mark Golding-led PNP has not learned from the lessons which precipitated the political demise of his predecessor.

This is one of the reasons that I said here early after Golding ascended to the helm of Norman Manley’s party that he would not become prime minister of Jamaica. Since then several important revelations have concretised my forecast.

BUILDING BACK BETTER

We live in a country that is prone to earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. We have to prepare for and live with these realities. As we recover from the massive and costly damage done by Hurricane Beryl I believe we need to take this opportunity to improve our housing construction techniques and our logistics and planning methods for similar catastrophes. The fact is other hurricanes will hit Jamaica in the future plus other types of catastrophes too. While we pray that we are spared, the fact is we will not always be.

I have always said here that prayers are tremendously important, but we also need to be mindful of what the Bible tells us about the crucial ingredient called work. Check out James 2:14-17.

Let us spare a thought in these challenging times for all those who are hurting physically and emotionally. Let us also help our neighbours if we can, as much as we can. I believe the passage of Beryl is also an opportunity for all well-thinking Jamaicans to stop and take stock of what some of our leaders are offering as a future. I believe the best time to contemplate and plan for the future of one’s country is in the midst of massive dislocation caused by man-made and or natural disasters. I am convinced that the future of this country has to continue along the present path of modernisation.

Among other things, this means continued economic resilience, increasing the pace at which we are improving our infrastructure, and the strengthening of our democratic institutions. The Andrew Holness-led Administration is in a position today to fast-track rapid rebuilding with mostly our own resources because of prudent all-round management. This is the right direction.

Papine Police

I had occasion to visit the Papine police in St Andrew last week. The police personnel there were very respectful and attentive. Some may say, ‘So what is the big deal?’ The police in Jamaica, justifiably so, have had a very bad reputation when it comes to interactions with citizens. I have noted here that in recent times we are seeing a new Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) emerge. All well-thinking Jamaicans need to encourage this positive advance while we sternly continue to discourage any instance of ugly reminders of the JCF, which we want to see far in the rear-view mirror.

Anyway, constables D Lawrence, A Morrison, R Thompson, and Station Sergeant Morgan were extremely helpful and courteous. I believe they represent an important light of hope for the continued and rapid modernisation of the JCF.

Garfield Higgins

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.