Political leaders missing the real issues
Dear Editor,
Having listened to our political leaders in Jamaica today one cannot help but conclude that they are missing the real issues that concern the Jamaican people most.
The fact that they continue to insult the people who elected them to serve in their best interest highlights a total disregard for our democracy, which is Government by the people, of the people, and for the people.
Our leaders, instead of advancing issues that by all right should best be handled by the justice system (for example, public servants violating the laws of the land), should in fact be articulating a public discourse that speaks to the reduction of the enormous national debt, an economic policy driven by technological advances, the restructuring of our education system in a common sense way to fuel these advances, as well as the modelling of an effective system to provide quality health care for all Jamaicans.
These are core issues that will define the progress of a developing democracy for generations to come. Jamaicans cannot afford for our elected leaders to be griping about who should step down and who should stay. If a Jamaican citizen — whether he be a public servant or not — commits a crime against the Jamaican people, that becomes a matter for the justice system.
We should always be mindful that there is a department of public prosecution, defence attorneys and trial courts in Jamaica.
The time has come when our elected leaders should be accountable to the people who elected them. They should find innovative ways of providing quality jobs and generally a better standard of living for the masses.
Our leaders are not elected to serve as defence attorneys and prosecutors for lawbreakers but to serve the people who elected them.
Wake up, elected leaders, you were put there to find answers to the country’s problems and to provide effective governance and constructive opposition.
Let’s reshape the national discourse now.
Ruddy Mathison
rgdadmathison@yahoo.com