Jamaica is a relatively young nation by any measurement, as are most countries in the West Indies.

Think about it, England is over 1,000 years old, Portugal is over 800 years, but Haiti, the first black republic, is only 198 years old.

We, by comparison, are only less than half their age, at 60.

During our recent history, we have had few periods where we really believed in our leaders. And, if it does occur, it’s temporary.

Even our National Heroes didn’t get the level of confidence and blind support that one would have expected them to.

Norman Manley is a perfect example. His plans of having Jamaica join other Caribbean nations as a Federation resulted in him being voted out as leader.

His son, Michael, was extremely popular in 1972 when he was elected to lead Jamaica. But that only lasted till he decided to take steps that the country didn’t agree with. Soon after, everyone wanted him out. This really isn’t how this leadership thing is suppose to work.

There is international precedent that has taught us to let people lead and have faith in the decisions they take. We made a choice to elect them. We need to let them lead.

John F Kennedy’s approach to the civil rights movement concerning blacks in America wasn’t popular with the bulk of the populace. However, 50 years later, white America realised all the fears were unfounded.

Lee Quan Yew’s economic reforms certainly were not welcome. Nor was the treatment of his political opposition. Well, I guess one could say the end justified the means. Look at Singapore now.

Although I still maintain that suppression of political opponents and their ideas and opinions is not a method I support, South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and his decision to go the route of an amnesty rather than seek revenge on the white minority for their brutal criminal activity in the name of state security was very unpopular.

However, it saved South Africa from ruin and in effect ended the racial violence.

Jamaica has gone through changes in recent years. Many are positive. This is the best employment period of our history. If you have two CSEC subjects and you are jobless it’s because you choose to be.

When I left Calabar High School in 1986 there were no jobs, unless you were willing to join HEART and work for below minimum wage pay.

It was a methodology of supplying almost free labour to corporate Jamaica, disguised as on-the-job training.

Despite our employment boom for the employable, Jamaica has had to endure two strikes in recent weeks.

The minister of finance has promised us revolutionary changes in respect of how the public sector is to be paid. Why can’t we just give him a chance to complete the process in the time he promised? Jesus Christ, guys, he’s not even a politician; give him the opportunity to deliver on his promises without crippling the country before.

In last week’s article, I spoke of five steps our Government needs to take to destroy gang rule. I have written on them before so I won’t go into detail. I will, however, remind you of the purpose for this article.

Firstly, constitutional change. This will then allow for a Interment Act, then change back bail from a right to a privilege.

Create a Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) reserve that mirrors the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).

Remove the sentencing guidelines in the Gun Court that are forcing the judges to give lesser sentences, and allow them to use their discretion whilst still encouraging harsh long sentences.

These steps would be really unpopular, but would effectively end gang influence and prevent gang domination, because we had that before and we are heading right back there.

The steps, unfortunately, would also make us international pariahs and would impact our economy negatively.

It’s a decision we would have to make if we think our purpose is worth it.

Saving lives is always worth it.

You see, there are no laws or rules in the ambit of normal policing to fight our type of crime. The measures we use now are not normal in any way, shape, or form.

Think on just one of the tools we use, that is using soldiers as cops. That’s not normal, but it’s really necessary.

The other measures that our leadership needs to adopt are also not normal, nor would they be popular. Real leaders, though, don’t really care. You elect them to lead, so they lead.

I wonder, though, is it a rare talent that only some leaders have, to inspire that confidence, so persons follow even though they disagree?

Why is it therefore that not even Norman Manley could engender that blind faith in our populace?

I recall when Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Terrence Bent became the divisional commander of the St Catherine South Police Division. You somehow realised that you were being led. It wasn’t about the decisions he took, but rather the manner in which he took them.

We have had several great leaders since. We have a great one now. But Bent was the first I had seen to immediately bring about that change from persons doubting everything, to blind faith.

I think that several governments in our history did enough to deserve the support we did not give them.

I didn’t agree with many things that Edward Seaga did, but he did take us from the brink of economic disaster in 1980.

I didn’t agree with everything PJ Patterson did either, but had he not liberalised the use of the US dollar we would still be getting robbed in dark alleys buying black market money.

You see, no one is going to really fix our crime problem or our poverty problem if we want to micro-manage them.

We elect them to lead; let them lead.