Jesus Christ’s sojourn in the Garden of Gethsemane was one of mental and spiritual anguish. Recent polls would suggest that after the people of Jamaica provided for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and its leader, Andrew Michael Holness, a grand coronation on September 3, 2020, as is the nature of Jamaican politics, it would seem that a crucifixion may well be now on the horizon.

Having promised a usually gullible populace that their decision to extend his stay in office was a guarantee for prosperity to abound, it now appears that, notwithstanding the many high-profile projects being implemented, the people on the ground, as the saying goes, are not “feeling it”.

This must be a most puzzling scenario for Brogad, even as he makes several trips across the country cutting ribbons, making grand announcements, and revelling in the completion or unfolding of many high-profile projects, because the sad truth is that, when one speaks to the average “man or woman in the street”, they are seeing their lives from a different perspective — one of persistent poverty, crime infestation, degradation, and a general sense of hopelessness.

In this vein, the word prosperity may well become an albatross around the goodly prime minister’s neck. What has gone wrong and is not going right, even after a spectacular budget presentation by Holness, inclusive of the “Santa Claus” input of his Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke, who foolishly marred his grand show by that ill-advised “Massa Mark” remark?

Well, it has been said that the road to hell is oftentimes paved with good intentions. From all indications, it is fair to say that the prime minister means well and wants the best for his people, but why has it come to this whereby he may have to start begging the electorate to bear with him and give him more chances to prove his love and devotion for them?

One of the glaring faults of this Holness-led Administration is that it has very poor communication skills and is yet to learn how to effectively use emotional intelligence as a main ingredient with respect to how it relates to the masses. It is no secret that the JLP’s “Little Lord Fauntleroy” (Dr Nigel Clarke), while displaying an excellent grasp of his portfolio and his astute ability to keep the country’s fiscal affairs in good order, lacks that common touch, so that much of what he says in the House of Parliament goes way over the head of John Public, who sometimes feels that he is talking down to them, especially when he adopts his pedagogical approach — who can forget those many teaching moments with aids an all?

The pity is that, after his well-put-together presentation receives thunderous applause and unbridled commendation, neither Miss Mattie nor Mas (not Massa) Joe has a clue as to what he has said. And the blame for this communication gap must be placed at the feet of he/she who is in charge of distilling such information and putting it out there in an easily digestible and palatable format.

In this regard, one must ask, whither the de facto Minister of information Robert Nesta Morgan in all of this?

Edward Seaga suffered a similar fate during his time in Jamaica House during the 1980s when he set out to turn around the Jamaican economy that was in shambles, and used many creative and sometimes unpopular methods to get the country’s macro-economic affairs in good order, even while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was breathing down his neck.

The sad truth is that he became aloof and stentorian, which only helped to increase his growing unpopularity with the electorate because he came across as arrogant and dictatorial. Andrew Holness must be careful he does not end up going down that same road of disconnect with the people.

In real terms, the JLP’s trickle-down approach to managing the economy tends to favour the rich and privileged in the society. So, while Upper St Andrew is wallowing in wealth, the people downtown have to be sucking “salt through wooden spoon”. To give him his due, Holness has swerved left in many ways in order to pursue a number of populist policies which he intends to benefit the poorer classes, but very often the implementation is plagued by a great deal of bungling incompetence, as well as corruption and partisan favouritism. The current vexing situation with regard to public sector workers is a case in point.

In the meantime, almost daily there are problems plaguing the Jamaican people which the Government has to be playing catch-up in order to stave off what may well see the country descending into a Haitian-like scenario. Yes, serious crimes are trending down, but the average citizen is still scared stiff because of the ongoing quality of violence out there. Meanwhile, more and more Jamaicans are feeling that Jamaica is not for them because access to beaches or certain resort properties are being reserved for the privilege few, usually those of a certain pigmentation. Hard-working farmers end up having to throw away their produce because there is no market for their crops, while “Mr Big” is able to import the same stuff and sell at exorbitant prices; the public transport system continues to be akin to the Middle Passage; patients have to be sleeping on floors in hospitals, while some die for want of accessible treatment and drugs; pensioners are treated with disdain and there is a general feeling out there that in the final analysis the Government does not care a damn about them. In other words, where is the prosperity?

Frankly, Holness needs to take a deep breath and revisit his governance strategies. And, Sir, when you do, you must act fast and reshuffle your Cabinet, which for the most part has become fat and lazy. Right now, the people have become very cynical and are seeing whatever you do now is just in response to the polls that have put you and the JLP in the doghouse. They must begin to feel that you and your team genuinely care for them and that it is not just all about winning votes. Otherwise, the road to Gethsemane, like a gathering storm, looms before you. And, in politics, there is no redemption when you fail.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved full-time in Jamaican media for the past 47 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.