Jamaica recently celebrated 63 years of being an independent nation, and there are tangible achievements of which we can be proud.

We have consistently performed way above our rank as a nation on the global sphere in many significant areas. In sports, we’ve outperformed countries much bigger than us in terms of population and economic means. In finance, our stock market was once the highest performing stock market in the world. And, in economic management, our Government was recognised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for its outstanding stewardship of the nation’s economy, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our culture continues to be admired throughout the world. At the recent Olympic Games in France, everyone in Jamaican colours was treated as a celebrity, everyone wanted a selfie with a Jamaican. Our network of highways has enhanced urbanisation, productivity, and convenience. There is much to be proud of after 63 year, much to the credit of both political parties and corporate Jamaica.

That said, our greatest challenges are ahead of us. Crime and violence still remain a stubborn albatross around the neck of the nation, always threatening to inflict severe damage to our reputation and economy, as well as causing anxiety, fear, and trepidation among citizens. Jamaica also continues to rank very high on the corruption index.

Additionally, we continue to produce a lot of great development and strategic plans that are intended to make our country more competitive and productive, increase per capita income, elevate many more of our citizens out of poverty, and establish Jamaica as a country en route to becoming a developed nation. But these plans often lack execution, and so we remain stuck in the planning cycle.

It’s unproductive to lament missed opportunities. But our history can be a great guide away from repeating past mistakes. As we embark on another election, and after 63 years, surely our growth in years should be reflected in our growth in demands from our politicians. Surely by now, at 63, we have learnt to put Jamaica, our nation, ahead of politicians and political parties. Surely we no longer vote based on generational attachment or geographical origins, or even affection and affinity. Surely, we are now so mature that we are more inclined to vote on issues that affect Jamaicans than we’ve ever been in our past. I’m hopeful.

But some of the major issues being discussed on the campaign trail so far are voice notes, WhatsApp messages, manifestos that may or may not have been written by artificial intelligence (AI), and the sudden availability of school buses. These are unserious issues.

Instead, it would be good to hear how the major parties intend to make the issuance of government contracts more transparent. Since corruption is one of the major root causes of Jamaica’s inability to progress in a meaningful way economically, politicians should tell us how they plan to hold themselves accountable for project mismanagement, resulting in extra time and overspend. The tracking of spends should also be public, with a direct line to participating suppliers. The unbiased media, along with the unbiased intelligentsia, should be able to hold our government officials accountable for any breach of public office and trust.

We can’t expect to see economic growth if the channels through which growth-inducing factors should flow are controlled by politicians who are perceived to be dishonest and kleptocratic.

kevinsimmonds1410@gmail.com