Dear Editor,

The Integrity Commission (IC) report regarding the statutory declarations of the nation’s chief governmental executive and leader of the legislative majority is not a frivolous issue or one that can be considered final following its tabling in Parliament. There are serious local and global implications, the latter having consequences which may not be immediately seen.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, and even while one expected that blind partisanship would have placed an iron dome over thoughtful adjudication on one side and unbridled rush to judgement informed by a thirst for power and smelling blood in the water on the other, the discourse to date is not helpful. The venom, hate, and vengefulness in response to the tabling of the report are simply unnecessary and characterise the detrimental chokehold of blind, dogged partisanship fettering our nation’s progress and development.

The issues can be assessed with more balance and critical thinking, devoid of the current rancour and sometimes inelegant comments which only create hurt and disrespect. Neither side can boast of clean hands in the debasement of the other. Even those gifted with advanced erudition have undressed themselves and appear to be showing a lineage to the gutter.

Jamaica’s slide to the bottom of the pit is not the doing of any one political group. Both sides have been equally culpable of the progressive destruction of the edicts of good governance in our country.

Now that we are in a quicksand, struggling to be free, sinking faster and deeper, we the people must accept responsibility, whether as beneficiaries of the rot or for sitting by as tacit supporters.

We need to adjust our approach to national discourse, for, after we have burnt the house down, we all must rebuild it with our own efforts and resources.

Why not be pointed, thoughtful, and dignified in dealing with this issue, which has very serious implications for our governance and our character in the global square?

Mark A Hylton

Montego Bay

markahylton@hotmail.com