Time to fix everything
Dear Editor,
There is a time for everything and a season for every purpose under the sun. This according to Ecclesiastes 3 of the Bible. Whether one accepts the Bible as ‘gospel’ or not, it seems difficult to observe current national and political affairs in Jamaica without concluding that there must be some truth to this notion, at least.
Take the business of favouring political party supporters for employment and government contracts, for instance, or targeting particular constituencies for special pre-election development works and spending; or so-called cronyism, nepotism, incompetent management, neglectful governance, and corruption in general.
The generally accepted view over many years has been that neither Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) nor People’s National Party (PNP) parliamentarians and supporters have the right or credibility to point accusing fingers at each other, as they tend to do, especially when in Opposition. Truly, when it comes to politicians, its really “no better herring, no better barrel”, as often they are all guilty while in Government of the things they so loudly accuse their opponents of.
Notwithstanding all of the above, the fascinating thing is that there now appears to be an increasingly clear recognition of the need to fix things. There is increasing frequency in calls for better, and the calls have grown louder, suggesting that the time has come not only to acknowledge what has always been wrong or undesirable in national/governmental affairs, but to fix it all once and for all.
Supporting the idea or view that the time is here and now has been the emergence of a new JLP Administration led by a prime minister who says that he wants to be known as “Mr Implementer”, and who appears to be determined — and in a real hurry — to get the job done.
Note current actions and attitudes in many areas of government and national development, including the justice system, economic and financial systems and development, with newly, energised approaches to Caricom and other foreign affairs concerns, plus health, agriculture, etc. Not to mention Mike Henry’s Vernamfield “megapolis”, plus ongoing islandwide road and other infrastructure works.
Naturally, there are naysayers who doubt or question whether Andrew Holness and his team are equal to or serious about their part of the task. These may include some already rich folks who may believe they have “nothing to lose”, regardless of which side is in power, since they are able to support all sides and benefit regardless of which side is in power. There are also those who have no real desire for any change, as they expect to continue exploiting the divide-and-rule principle and the ‘all of dem is the same’ syndrome to keep the people increasingly poor and hopelessly dependent on politicians who “love the poor”. And there are those who simply do not believe that anything will actually change.
Fortunately, and supporting the idea that the time may be now, there appears also to be a growing body of individuals in civil society and elsewhere who dare to accept that things are changing and can continue to change for better while each person does his/her best in his/her own environment to be more a part of the solution than a part of the problem, according to Yahweh’s will.
But we must recall Ecclesiastes 3 about a time for everything.
Carlton A Gordon
Kingston 10
carltongor@gmail.com