Like so many other aspects of life in Jamaica, politics has become more and more transactional.

Indeed, it is no secret that Jamaica has a political economy, which means that in the very final analysis our political representatives can make or break us at will. Even with the advent of social media which has broadened the scope of freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Jamaican Constitution, those who use that medium to express themselves have found that they are likely to be corralled and upbraided for daring to criticise the powers that be, including whoever is prime minister.

And there is usually grounds on which to do so, but, if the truth be told, it is becoming more, and more obvious that Jamaica is fast becoming akin to George Orwell’s prophetic book Animal Farm, suggesting, in our case, that all Jamaicans are equal but some are more equal.

Lest we forget, we are in an age when friends with benefits has become the order of the day, and this applies very much to our politics, whereby patronage, cronyism, clientelism, and corruption permeate the body politic which ultimately translates into “parson christen him pickney first”.

The current brouhaha surrounding the saga between Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the Integrity Commission is the latest example of how Orwellian our politics is becoming. Of course, now that the matter is sub judice, which may well be a subtle way (not necessarily intended) to stymie public discussion even in the House of Parliament, has set a precedent, whether wittingly or unwittingly, for how politicians can establish entities to protect our democratic way of life then turn around and question their very foundation and intent.

In continuation of the thesis that Jamaica has a political economy, this revelation takes us to the glaring reality that the electoral process, whether it be a general, local government, or by-election, has also boiled down to yet another transactional exercise: You scratch my back and I scratch yours. Hence, it is no longer a well-kept secret that vote buying has become part and parcel of the Jamaican voting system. This, of course, poses a very serious threat to our parliamentary democracy as the nation will have become subject to a flawed system in which the true will of the people may well be thwarted. This also explains why increasingly we are witnessing low voter turnouts, as vote buying has become more and more expensive and risky, and at the same time voters with an independent mind who want the best for their beloved country have come to the conclusion that in such a conundrum their votes do not really matter.

The recent low voter turnout in the St Ann North Eastern by-election — which showed a little over 10 per cent of people voting out of some 40,000-odd electors — was not just because people felt it was a fait accompli that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) would win, as had been posited, because the People’s National Party (PNP) did not contest the polls, but it may have been that thousands of people, including some JLP supporters, were sending a message to Prime Minister Holness that something is rotten in the State of Denmark.

Intriguingly, it has to be understood that not voting is yet another way of expressing one’s democratic right to self-determination. And one may take this scenario to the vulgar extreme, whereby politicians have also been paying people of the opposing party to stay home and not vote. Of course, to ensure that they do so, they must show the appropriate finger after the polls have closed, which should show no sign of being dipped in the ink before they are paid for their effort.

In all of this, hardcore, diehard party supporters who now are the voting majority do so not just out of a sense of party loyalty or love of country but because they stand to benefit — as the late Wilmot “Motty” Perkins used to say, they are “the first to have their noses up against the trough to benefit from the scarce benefits and spoils”. In the meantime, those in the middle and upper classes also stand in line to be awarded lucrative contracts, cushy jobs, national honours, and other special benefits (many of whom appear to hear no evil and speak no evil).

In all of this, the silent majority, which makes up civil society and the media, continues, for the most part, to turn a blind eye to the many things that ail this sin-sick nation.

And in this regard the Integrity Commission is becoming more and more isolated while being tarred and feathered by some of the very same people who saw to its establishment. Hats off to its chairman, Justice Seymour Panton, for standing his ground and declaring that he and his members will not be intimidated. But, unfortunately, his voice and that of his patriotic colleagues may well continue to be a voice in the wilderness, as so may of us are fearful of losing our “bread and butter” if we dare to speak out, dare to be a Daniel, even if it means being cast in the lion’s den.

It might sound strange and far-fetched, but it may well be that this assault on the Integrity Commission will help to set the stage for a protracted journey towards the attainment of republican status, because if the ruling JLP and its leader as well as the Opposition People’s National Party and its President Mark Golding cannot at some pivotal stage meet at a point of confluence and national consensus, then we might as well continue to be willing subjects of King Charles III, his heirs, and successors.

The bottom line is that Jamaicans must begin to think not just about their bellies but use their brains and realise that this nation is sliding down a slippery slope. We need leaders that respect the rule of law and order, men and women of impeccable integrity, who, when all is said and done, are prepared to put country over party, brain over belly. Many will say I am dreaming, but I do not think that I am alone in this view. It is time that the real Jamaicans stand up and say, “Enough is enough!”

To put it bluntly, unless we take a stand before it is too late, then the highly touted Vision 2030 is destined to become a ghoulish nightmare.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved full-time in Jamaican media for the past 49 years. He has also served as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the Governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lbsmith4@gmail.com.