Dear Editor,

I wonder if there is an escape from the depressingly mundane scope of the electioneering that, as usual, typifies Jamaican politics. Sure, there are people here who sorely need better public services, facilities, and opportunities all round, as well as more equity and more justice.

Yet back in the 70s, there was still space to support the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, and indeed Cuba’s revolutionary experiment. Today, the Government cannot bring itself to demand the end to the genocide in Gaza.

A faraway issue? Far from it. It signals a complete absence of moral substance without which societies can only sour. By turning a blind eye, we are complicit, as our grandchildren will surely be telling us in years to come.

How about injecting a bit of this practice into the election campaign instead: Sometimes, the best way to get out of our own heads is to focus on someone else. It sounds counter-intuitive — when life feels overwhelming, it stands to reason we should focus inward, solving our own problems first. But stepping outside ourselves and helping others can be one of the most healing and empowering actions we can take. It’s not just a distraction, it’s a mindset shift. Helping others doesn’t just benefit the recipient — it profoundly impacts the helper. We find ourselves creating new possibilities through helping others that did not exist before.

Paul Ward

Oracabessa, St Mary

pgward72@gmail.com