Must everything be about politics?
Dear Editor,
What really was Andrew Holness doing in the unruly (reported) throng that had descended on the passport office on Thursday last week? To get a first-hand view is what was reported. A first-hand view of what? As leader of the Opposition, and someone who has lived in Jamaica all his life, hasn’t he yet learned that many Jamaicans are undisciplined in almost everything they do?
What did he think his visit would accomplish? A rollback of the fees? Or was he there to show that he was in solidarity with the many people who were crying out that the increase was too much?
To me, he did it for two reasons: Firstly, it was just an attempt to get some cheap publicity through the now ubiquitous photo opportunity. Secondly, I believe he went there for the people to vent about how “the wicked” Government was oppressing them again. While I believe the increase of fees for passports is somewhat steep, it is not a political issue.
But, no one should be surprised at Holness’s actions — I certainly am not — because every public issue in Jamaica sooner or later becomes politicised. So the Government makes an announcement and the Opposition is all over it — sometimes without even properly considering the issue. Or, the Opposition makes a statement or a suggestion and the Government does the same thing.
Jamaicans are tired of this approach, where it seems that the only thing any government does is to try to ensure it stays in office; while the Opposition does all it can to get (back) into office — always trying to score cheap political points. In the meantime, no one is busy managing the nation’s affairs.
And the really frustrating thing about it all is that both parties have been given a fair chance to set Jamaica on a path to prosperity, but that’s not what either party is after. It’s all about State power and the trappings and spoils that go with it.
Sometimes in reading/listening the news, I can hardly believe that Audley Shaw was ever the minister of finance. All of a sudden he has all of the answers now that he is in Opposition. Why didn’t he implement them when he was in Government? And from the Government’s side, they were similarly vocal when they were in Opposition and have failed us miserably.
I am… just a tired Jamaican.
Stephen Harrison
St Mary
stepharrison28@gmail.com
