Jamaica Labour Party Leader (JLP) Dr Andrew Michael Holness and People’s National Party (PNP) President Mark Jefferson Golding should be greatly concerned about the vitriolic, disparaging, and in many cases, libellous posts that have been appearing in the social media space, primarily on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

A great deal of this is aimed at both men, their parties, colleagues, and families. Indeed, as legislators, they should be in the forefront of tackling this growing epidemic on the nation’s sociopolitical landscape.

This writer is not suggesting any major onslaught against free speech as Jamaica is a democratic country and freedom of expression is guaranteed in the island’s constitution. But when bloggers, vloggers, and partisan hacks cross the line of common decency and are seeking to character assassinate and destroy people’s reputation without corroborative evidence infused with veracity, such digital incursions should be treated as actionable in a court of law.

Mark Golding

Of course, both the JLP and PNP are to be blamed for much of this poison pen activity, as it has been alleged that both parties have had operatives carrying out these ‘operations’, some of whom are paid to do so.

Of course, it is not only politics that has motivated these social media purveyors of putrid propaganda. Sex also gets a great deal of attention, and the danger with respect to this area is that much of the salacious and outright nasty posts are easily accessed by children of all ages. In this vein, it is to be noted that the Government has observed this trend and indicated that it intends to take action but, quite frankly, the horse has already bolted through the gate.

Disparaging comments have been made against both political parties, their leaders and supporters on social media.

My focus here is also designed to bring to the attention of our political representatives and civil society advocates that the country is, in fact, sitting on a time bomb. Why do I say this? Let us bear in mind that the majority of Jamaicans are not enamoured with either the JLP or PNP. Recent general and local government elections have shown that most Jamaicans who are eligible to vote have scoffed at dipping their finger in the electoral ink. What this means is that, for the most part, it is the diehard supporters of both parties who vote.

Unfortunately, the hierarchy of both parties continues to foolishly believe they have the people’s love and support when they win. This is far from the truth, and it is against this background that the political class should become increasingly worried, because based on what is being posted on social media as well as what is being said in bars, communities, and elsewhere — especially among the lower socio-economic brackets comprising mostly the working poor, many of whom live from salary to salary — there is every reason to believe that the level of frustration and discontent is growing daily.

It is no secret that, to a large extent, Jamaica has become a hustling society. From lotto scamming to pursuing all kinds of criminal activities, many Jamaicans, in order to survive, have embarked on a life (as the late Professor Rex Nettleford puts it) “laced with larceny”. There is more than enough empirical evidence to suggest that the rise in acts of domestic violence and several motor vehicle crashes — the taxi driver who breaks all the rules to make as many trips as possible in order to make a profit; the woman who cheats on her man because he is unable to fully satisfy her needs and wants financially; the minibus driver who accumulates numerous tickets in his bid to make enough money to pay back the bank, and I could go on — are a result of survival issues.

A number of Hurricane Melissa-damaged homes have yet to be repaired. (Photo: JIS News)

In the meantime, more and more of our young people are going the route of synthetic drugs as well as increased alcoholic consumption coupled with ganja smoking and snorting cocaine. And what is even more frightening is that schoolchildren are also being targeted by unscrupulous adults in a bid to make a quick buck. Of course, it is well known that many Jamaicans are living very stressful lives based on the high level of crass indiscipline and selfishness in the society, the number of treacherous potholes, lack of water, poor salaries, and numerous other social anomalies being taken for granted by the powers that be.

The sad truth is that while the Holness Administration claims that much is being done to improve the life of the average Jamaican, the reality is not so. People are dying because of a lack of available and affordable health care, and pensioners and marginalised elderly people are living hand to mouth. To put it bluntly, “It sipple out deh!”

Is it any wonder the country is losing its best minds and artisans to migration; many young men and women are opting not have children because they cannot afford to, hence the dramatic population decrease; and there is a growing sense of hopelessness emerging, especially in western Jamaica, which was savagely hit by Hurricane Melissa, where many affected households, businesses, and individuals are yet to get any meaningful assistance from the State.

It is against this backdrop that much of the vitriol being spewed on social media is spreading uncontrollably and will continue unabated until some serious and sustained social and economic interventions are made by the Government with the help of the private sector. This writer is not attempting to be an alarmist but, quite frankly, the writing is on the wall and we, as a nation, have been found wanting.

The stark truth is whenever Jamaicans feel helpless and are convinced the powers that be are not working in their favour they tend to take things into their own hands. So vigilante justice becomes an option, and in this case, with a weak Opposition and a Government some believe to be arrogant and uncaring, there may well come a time when “pressure pipe buss”. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

A number of Hurricane Melissa-damaged homes have yet to be repaired. (Photo: Charmaine N Clarke)

Both Holness and Golding as well as their respective teams must stop the nitpicking and squabbling inside and outside of Parliament, lower the political temperature, and focus more on building a just and prosperous society. Their failure to do so may well lead to the Jamaican people opting for vigilante politics. Go figure!

Lloyd B Smith has been involved full-time in Jamaican media for the past 50 years. He has also served as a People’s National Party 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.

A number of Hurricane Melissa-damaged homes have yet to be repaired.