It has been said that Jamaicans have a solution for every problem and a problem for every solution. Divided by political partisanship, religious bigotry, social and economic discrimination, Jamaica continues to be beset by persistent poverty, mendicancy, a hustling mentality born of our penchant for anancyism, interpersonal violence, and ‘bandooloism’.

Back in 1961, then Premier Norman Washington Manley felt the best way forward was to become part of the West Indies Federation. The legal luminary turned politician and Renaissance man put his fortunes on the line by calling a referendum, which he lost. His arch-rival — then labour leader extraordinaire turned politician Alexander Bustamante — turned the tide against him, stating, inter alia, that Jamaica ought not to accommodate “paupers” (referring to the Caribbean islands that would form part of the Federation).

Ironically, today, most of these “pauperised” nations are doing far better than Jamaica, which remains, for the most part, an impoverished country, notwithstanding the increasingly positive macroeconomic indicators. Meanwhile, its seemingly bastardised successor, Caricom, has become a glorified talk shop still plagued by those inherent characteristics which continue to divide the region rather than unite it.

Remarkably, we are not short of solutions or answers. So many studies have been done and are being done which oftentimes point us in the right direction, but most of these end up in “File 13” or are watered down into a state of ineffectiveness. We are very good at analysing and criticising just about everything ad nauseam. Of course, by the time all the analysis has been done and the detractors have had their field day by finding a rat under every rug, many golden opportunities would have been lost.

Norman Manley

To put it bluntly, “Wi chat too much and act very little.” As J Gary Cooper, a former outspoken United States ambassador to Jamaica put it, we are very good at making announcements, but very weak on implementation and coming up with the finished product. In this vein, the potent question now is: Will the highly touted National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) help to once and for all change this trajectory?

Against this background, it must be stressed that the time has come for us to move from one crisis to another and seek to reach a point of synthesis. Unfortunately, we seem to be in a continuing state of paralysis. The “chaka-chaka” way in which the Hurricane Melissa rehabilitation and reconstruction exercise has been dealt with so far has helped to reinforce the view of many cynics that successive governments in this country do not genuinely have the people’s interest at heart but continue to see them as mere pawns in a political game riveted in corrupt and self-serving practices.

Interestingly, it is to be noted that the Opposition People’s National Party will be having its national conference in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland. No doubt, because of the impressive showing of the party in the September 3, 2025 General Election, President Mark Golding and his colleagues would strategically want to use that platform to exude strength and invite mass support. Needless to say, the plot thickens.

Quoting from the late distinguished Jamaican journalist Ewart Walters’ book, We Come from Jamaica,unsung hero OT Fairclough — who not only founded the Public Opinion newspaper but also co-founded the People’s National Party — said in his first editorial: “Jamaica is not without a large body of men and women who are sincerely anxious to understand the state of this country and the duties laid upon them by its problems. They are not blind to evils which threaten the island from within, nor are they deaf to the noise and commotion of the outer world. They frequently look towards the future with grave misgivings.”

Jamaicans, in many instances, are quick to analyse and criticise, but slow to act.

“But where is one to begin?” he asked. His response, “The first necessity is that those who have at heart projects of social, economic and political reform should pool their ideas and, still more important, understand their own strength. This does not mean that mere discussion is enough. There is abundance of ineffective discussion at present. Discussion must be directed into practical channels. It must be regulated, not be casual individual opinions, but by the sum of individual thought. In other words, there must be an effective public opinion on topics of importance.”

Those views were expressed in 1937, long before the attainment of self-government and ultimately political independence. Today, well over half a century into self-(determination?), Jamaica still pays homage to King Charles III, his heirs, and successors, uses the British Privy Council as its final court of appeal, and is being overrun by foreign interests who no doubt have agendas that may not necessarily, in the long run, be in the best interest of the country and its people, especially at a time when the world’s geopolitical environment has become virulently volatile.

Here, for example, is a provocative thought: Have we ever stopped and wondered why the Chinese have so much “love” for us? During the Cold War, Jamaica was seen as a strategic location, hence the United States paid us a great deal of attention. China is predicted to become the world’s next leading superpower by virtue of its economic boom and sheer numbers in terms of population growth in the face of waning US influence, especially during the Donald Trump era. Could it be that Jamaica is poised to become a pawn in a global chess game, even as the proverbial elephants trample the jungle?

When I was a boy, poverty came with dignity and a sense of purpose. Many Jamaicans then believed that by the sweat of their brows they should eat bread. Today, there is a frenzy of dependency, with the politician being the main target. In this regard, our educational system has failed to produce useful and happy citizens.

Many of us today who can be regarded as successful came out of that era when our parents did not depend on politicians or demeaning charity. They empowered us through education, thrift, values, and attitudes they helped to teach us along with teachers who were mentors and not just purveyors of knowledge.

Yes, back then, we were out to build a new Jamaica…Remember that song which Ewart Walters describes as “the expression of that spirit of community optimism and solidarity which fed the national consensus. Above all, it was a spirit of goodwill and volunteerisms, for most of the people involved were cheerful volunteers, engaging in community development that was central to the national movement”.

That was why Norman Manley established Jamaica Welfare, which was to eventually morph into the Social Development Commission (SDC). Our national hero must be turning in his grave when he sees what has become of the mission that he had charged succeeding generations to pursue. Today, as I reminisce on what has been and ponder on what should have been, it behoves all of us to develop a fixity of purpose that will transcend narrow partisan preoccupations, making us a nation that is built on consensus rather than contention.

Unfortunately, our current Parliament, both the House of Representatives and the Senate, is fast losing its moral authority. Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding owe it to their generation and generations to come to wrest this beleaguered nation out of this state of indecisiveness and persistent “cass-cass”.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved in Jamaica media for the past 50 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.

Lloyd B Smith