If Jamaica is to rapidly improve, especially economically, so as to materially benefit specifically ordinary Jamaicans in a sustained manner, some of the unproductive modi operandi — inherited partly from slavery and colonialism — must be quickly done away with.

Without the necessary relegations, and eventual sidelining, Jamaica will needlessly take longer to exit the group of countries which are categorised as economically weaker, poorer, and less respected.

Long ago, I said here: “There are no strong countries with weak economies, and there are no weak countries with strong economies.” This is an undeniable fact.

This is also a fact: “You will never do anything in the world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour,” said Aristotle.

Citizens who have been elected from among us to serve us in Gordon House must repeatedly earn our trust by demonstrating individual courage and positive conviction as they work to fulfil their obligations to us. The needs of constituents must always be first.

SHIRT TAIL DEPENDENTS

Like him or loathe him, Clifford Everald Errol Warmington, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of St Catherine South Western since 2002, puts the needs of his constituents first.

Warmington has won the St Catherine South Western seat every time he has contested. He won in 1980, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2020, and in 2025, the 19th general election since 1944. This is no fluke.

Information in the public domain shows that Warmington is simultaneously committed to his constituents and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). There is no Hobson’s choice here — a situation where you are presented with what seems like a choice, but there is only one real option, or you must choose between that which is offered and nothing at all.

As I see it, Warmington has demonstrated that a parliamentarian can indeed put the needs of the constituents first and, at the same time, remain loyal to one’s political party.

On several occasions Warmington has said in and out of Parliament: “I serve the people of St Catherine South Western… I am here for them.” Admirably, his words match actions.

Unsurprisingly, Warmington polled 10,607 votes in the September 3, 2025 General Election to defeat Dr Kurt Waul of the People’s National Party (PNP), who got 8,488. Consider this: The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) said a total of 189 candidates were nominated to contest our 19th general election. Warmington polled the most votes. He must be doing something right.

Say what you want about the irascible persona of Warmington, but his work and worth as an MP cannot be discounted. He looks out, first and foremost, for his constituents and they appreciate the fact that he does. He is liked by his constituents primarily because he gets results which benefit them materially.

His constituents have kept on rewarding him also because he is accessible. Many of his constituents have said publicly that the snappish Warmington in front of the camera is not the man they meet and know, especially in one-on-one engagements.

Some of our MPs would do well to take several leaves out of the political book of Warmington, especially with respect to the seriousness with which he treats his obligations to his constituents. Note, I did not say, copy the entire book.

Relatedly, I believe one of the major reasons some of the JLP candidates are now former MPs, as they bit the proverbial dust two Wednesdays ago, is that they relied too heavily on the rock-star appeal of Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness to push them across the wining line. As I see it, they became political shirt tail dependents. This is a terrible mistake that far too many MPs make.

As I see it, their first duty is not to the prime minister or the leader of the Opposition, but to their constituents. It is in serving their constituents well,that MPs serve the prime minister and leader of the Opposition effectively, not the reverse. More MPs need to spend far more time in their constituencies attending to the needs of constituents and less time at Jamaica House and/or 1 West King’s House Road.

MPs seduced with the contorted view that their best ladder to ministerial appointment is shirt tail dependency need to wake up and smell the coffee. While they are doing so they would do well also to learn some of the good lessons from one of the longest-serving and most-successful (the provision of material results for constituents) MPs in local politics: Everald Warmington. He is not a weak, shirt tail dependent.

Shirt tail dependence in local politics has to be quickly relegated, and eventually sidelined, if Jamaica is to rapidly grow, especially economically.

When the constituencies strive and thrive the national economy does as well. Those MPs who plan to spend the majority of the next five years kissing the ring of the leader of the JLP or the president of the PNP would do well to remember that politics 101 teaches that politics is a market of ideas and material implementation to match. You cannot successfully sell what the market is not interested in buying.

Similarly, “You can’t fatten a pig on market day.” Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard made this saying famous. It means you have to consistently be seen to be working hard and be delivering goods and services which are needed long before you go to the people to ask for their support to acquire and/or retain State power.

The late Edward Seaga, our 5th prime minister, famously said: “Serve the people well and they will serve you. Stay with the people and they will stay with you.” This very good formula usually works. Note, I said usually.

GOVERNANCE AND POLITICS

On the matter of what works, the late Professor Carl Stone told us a long time ago that the JLP was better at governance while the PNP was better at politics. As I see it, governance is the strong suit of many conservative-leaning parties globally, while politics is the forte of socialist-type parties. The latter relies very heavily on appeals to the emotion and oftentimes the historical prejudices of people, while the former reaches out more centrally to the aspirational needs and the rational thinking processes of individuals.

The JLP today still suffers from a consequential imbalance between its strength in good governance and its weakness in the administration of politics. This weakness needs to be quickly relegated, and eventually sidelined. Why? Recall last Sunday I drew on two famous works by Max Weber, celebrated German sociologist. Weber famously said: “Parties exist in a house of power.” This means to win and/or retain State power. Minus that house of power to exist in and political parties soon wither and then die. This is a settled matter in politics.

Without equal attention and adroitness regarding governance and politics a major political party will be in Opposition more often than it forms the Administration. Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States of America, said in 2009: “Elections have consequences.” Political gravity is inescapable. It is a settled matter in politics too.

Some political scholars posit that unless a political party can govern for at least three cycles — 15 years in our case — at minimum and/or longer it cannot achieve transformative changes. I agree.

The JLP has just started its third- consecutive term. It is rare for a political party to get a fourth-consecutive term in a participatory democracy. There is an inevitable and natural reality of decrease, decline, attrition, and staleness related to forming the Administration for three consecutive terms. This is a fact!

I said here before the September 3, 2025 General Election that the JLP would be forced to call an early general election if it did not deliver on its commitments three years into a new term. If the JLP does not quickly fix its Achilles heel of politics it can kiss the delivering of its commitments goodbye.

LISTEN, THE REAL LIONS

Napoleon Bonaparte said: “Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.” The civil society groups make a lot of noise. The different church organisations make a hell of a lot of noise. During the months leading up to and especially during the weeks after the announcement of the election date it became obvious — maybe except to those who suffer with political cataract in both eyes — that many in some of these groups were really wolves in sheep’s clothing. Some trade unions and artistes sounded their trumpets to defending levels this to preserve their political bacon. That is their right. To me, the demonstration of their right showed beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have no genuine care for the material advancement of the majority of ordinary Jamaicans.

Happily, a critical mass did not buy into their trickery. Well-thinking Jamaicans need to understand that the mentioned interests are anything but defeated or dead. Decades ago, celebrated playwright George Bernard Shaw warned: “Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”

The wearing of shiny robes, the showboating of credentials, family ties, economic clout, and other valuable and not so valuable paraphernalia are mere gadgets in a performance toolkit for some. Beware of these pedlars of false knowledge. They are charlatans.

Those who want to continue to fool themselves can, but here is a reality which cannot be denied: When it is time to go out and vote, whether in by-elections, local, and/or general elections, it is the majority of ordinary Jamaicans who do so, rain or shine. Many of those who often speak the loudest and or make a lot of noise from various privileged platforms often are too lazy or too “stush” to leave the comfort of their homes to stand in line with their fellow citizens.

Two African proverbs are applicable to the political realities of which I speak here. First, “Too much attention makes the donkey thinks he is a lion.” Second, “A cat that dreams of becoming a lion must lose its appetite for rats,” meaning to achieve greatness one must let go of old, bad habits. JLP administrations have given far too much audience to pedlars of false knowledge.

MIND THE ‘LITTLE MAN’

Those who are casually and sometimes derogatorily called the little man are the real lions, as I see it.

If Dr Andrew Holness is to win a rare fourth term, the voices of the little man must form a central plank of especially the Cabinet’s most important decision regarding the continued modernisation of our education system, water supply, roads, social infrastructural advances, national security upgrades, human rights and environmental protection, etc.

The little man is not a mere appendage in the critical cog in the wheels of democracy to be oiled and attended to only when there is a consequential election. The Administration needs to engage the little man in town hall meetings, school rooms, on the corners, etc continually. Wasteful mass meetings are best for other times.

“Higgins, this sounds like socialist speak,” some will inquire.

No, this is common sense politics. Socialist speak is grounded in and revolves around emotional tomfoolery. Common sense politics is centred on appeals to the rational nature of man and his natural aspirational needs.

GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has been given a generational opportunity to continue the transformation of Jamaica into “the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business”. The governing JLP cannot afford to drop the ball. Well-thinking Jamaicans will not be kind to the JLP if it does and neither will history.

The primary focus cannot be who is the greatest in the kingdom, this with respect Cabinet posts. Like a laser-beam, the focus has to be continued, rapid repayment of the debt; fast-tracking the continued transformation of the education system; continued sizeable reduction in crime, especially murders; meaningful economic growth of at minimum three per cent; meaningful upgrades of social and physical institutions islandwide; etc. For these and related objectives to be meaningfully achieved the JLP, going forward, must now relegate and sideline political modi operandi that have hindered its objectives while at the wheel.

Garfield Higgins

Garfield Higgins is an educator and journalist. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com.

Jamaica Labour Party Leader Dr Andrew Holness (centre) with Jamaicans on the campaign trail in St James ahead of the September 3, 2025 General Election.

Everald Warmington