Over the last four decades there have been many signings of various codes of conduct pacts devised by different stakeholder groups. These agreements have typically been debated and signed in the run-up to general elections. I believe obedience to the spirit and letter of these concords have helped to significantly cool the hitherto very violent and antagonistic political atmosphere in our country.

The code of conduct which has occupied public discussion in recent times is the one developed by the Integrity Commission of Jamaica. This commission, among other things, is mandated and empowered by law to develop codes of conduct for public bodies and public officials.

In summary, the Integrity Commission’s Leadership Code of Conduct Document contains seven principles of public life.

The first, selflessness, urges holders of public office to act solely in terms of the public interest. “They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or friends,” the code says. The code also says the “holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to individuals or organisations that might seek to encourage improper behaviour in the performance of their official duties”.

Another principle enunciated by the commission is honesty: “Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.”

Other important principles in the Integrity Commission’s code centre on principles of objectivity, accountability, openness, and leadership.

In the last several months especially, I have heard much to-ing and fro-ing about the code of conduct. Some of our political leaders have opted not to sign it.

Senator Peter Bunting, the erstwhile Member of Parliament for Manchester Central and minister of national security, for example, is the most recent non-signatory. Why?

Early this month this newspaper had this headline: ‘Bunting refuses to sign code of conduct over Integrity Commission FLA report’. The news item said, among other things: “In a letter addressed to the Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding on Wednesday, Bunting stated that the report issued by the Integrity Commission has impacted his reputation.

“He went on to declare that until the Integrity Commission rectifies the report, he would not sign the leadership code of conduct.

” ‘The report listed several serious irregularities at the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA), which occurred after the former minister of national security’s term of office. However, the report mentioned two appeals that happened during his term, which were reviewed and recommended by the Firearm Review Board, a distinguished panel of a former judge of the Court of Appeal, a former judge of the Supreme Court, and a leading Queen’s Counsel,’ the statement said.” (Jamaica Observer, May 3, 2023)

Based on the present trajectory of signings it may be a little while yet before all required public officials affix their signature. In the meantime, civil society has been watching the process like a hawk. Good!

Never ever again

On the matter of being vigilant like a hawk, here is something else that all well-thinking Jamaicans have to be super vigilant about. During the last 14 years the people of this country have invested enormous amounts of blood, sweat, and tears into rescuing our economy from the edge of a giant precipice. We were pushed to that precipitous edge primarily because of years of accumulated mismanagement, particularly in the 1970s and 90s. I have presented irrefutable evidence on how Jamaica was relegated to the ignominious category of ‘Poor Man of the Caribbean’.

Jamaica must never ever return to the dark days when we were the laughing stock of the region and were seen globally as an economic pariah. I believe it is absolutely necessary that we protect ourselves against those who have no qualms about squandering 14 years of hard-won economic gains if that is how their political and related ambitions will be satisfied. Utterances which I have previously discussed here are harbingers of a return to the days of mismanagement that almost ruined us.

Economic ruination is synonymous with the People’s National Party (PNP) administrations of the 70s and the 90s. Norman Manley’s party, as consequence of strict supervision by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), did not derail the economic programme started by the Bruce Golding Administration. I previously said here that Dr Peter Phillips, the minister of finance and the public service and de factor prime minister between 2011 and 2016, deserves credit notwithstanding the fact that his actions were directed by the IMF.

The PNP has a very feeble track record with respect to the management of Jamaica’s economy. I presented copious evidence on that score previously. I believe the stewardship of Dr Phillips in the mentioned period resulted, too, in a slight repair to the PNP’s negative image as inept managers of the economy.

Folks, however, still do not trust the PNP with the management of our national purse. The “shortages, outages and stoppages” (Edward Seaga’s sentiments) of the 70s are still fresh in the minds of hundreds of Jamaicans. We must never revisit those torrid days.

Anti-samfie (trickery) insurance

I believe the people of this country can best protect ourselves from a return to the high inflation, high unemployment, redistribution minus production, and a tax-and-spend model of the past by having our political party leaders sign a concord which compels them not to backslide as regard the present trajectory of our economy, and/or return to the catastrophic approach mentioned.

Why is this important?

First, anyone who believes the PNP will never again form the Administration in this country is living in la la land.

Five Sundays ago I said here that I believed the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) will win a third-successive term. I stand by that. Notwithstanding that, at some time in the future the PNP will return to Jamaica House.

Given the PNP’s history of wrecking the economy, I think it is imperative that the PNP sign a concord, which will serve as insurance for the people of Jamaica against their primary Achilles’s heel.

“Higgins, why would you tie the hands of a future administration in this kind of straitjacketed manner,” some will bellow.

“Elementary, my dear Watson,” here I am taking liberties with Conan Doyle’s, Sherlock Holmes.

Experience (lived or perceived) teaches wisdoms, says rural folks.

I agree.

In 1972, the Jamaican economy grew by 11.2 per cent, according to figures from the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). Michael Manley took the reins of power on a campaign promise that “Betta muss come”. By the time Jamaica was rescued by Edward Seaga on October 30, 1980, the country was on the brink of an economic precipice. I previously discussed this catastrophic period with mountains of objective evidence from credible local, regional, and international authorities.

In the 90s, P J Patterson — who I maintain is our worst prime minister to date — promised that it was “black man time now”. His Administration succeeded in destroying the lion’s share of our country’s black entrepreneurial class by 2004. Again, I previously presented voluminous evidence in this space to substantiate this fact. It bears repeating that some 45,000 small and medium sized companies went under and some of the then longest existing companies, some of which I listed here previously, capsized because of the scorched-earth economic policies of Patterson and his Minister of Finance Dr Omar Davies. Ace journalist the late Wilmot “Motty” Perkins used to frequently say on radio that Dr Davies’ high interest rate policy succeeded in “mopping liquidity at all parts of the globe”.

Only individuals who do not mean Jamaican any good would want a repeat of this awful era. Insurance against it is needed. I think a binding (with a provision for recall) concord signed by our political leaders is common sense.

For the last six years we have had no new taxes. We have had relatively low inflation, and historically low unemployment. The net international reserves (NIR) is at a historically advantageous level, which means, among other things, Jamaica can pay her bills comfortably. Our debt as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) is trending down nicely. Major international rating agencies, including Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s, have either affirmed and/or upgraded their outlook on Jamaica from stable to positive. And, most importantly, the Andrew Holness-led Administration has ramped up the sharing of improvements in the economy with a wider cross section of the society. Over the last seven years the Holness Administration has demonstrated keen management of the economy. I believe in the adage, “A bird in the hand in worth two in the bush.”

I have been saying here for the last two years that the PNP needs to show us the money, meaning they need to convince the people of this country (in writing) how they are going to pay for the trailer load of promises they have already made and will doubtless make closer to the next general election.

I maintain that well-thinking folks must not wait until the date of the next general election is announced to start demanding that 89 Old Hope show us how they are going to fund their policies and programmes.

We have been bamboozled too many times in the past by slightly honourable men. Many of them now live in cooler climes elsewhere.

Sowing the dragon’s teeth

To ‘sowing the dragon’s teeth’ is used to refer to doing something that has the effect of fomenting disputes and troubles. Some authorities use the phrase to mean action that is intended to prevent strife or trouble but actually brings it about.

The Greek Myth of Cadmus and Jason have given rise “to sow the dragon’s teeth”. In Greek legend, Jason sowed the teeth of a dragon into a field, from which it then sprouted into an army of warriors. Jason was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts. Cadmus was the legendary Phoenician founder of Boeotian Thebes. He was one of the greatest slayers of monsters before the days of Heracles.

Mark Golding, leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition and president of the PNP, seems to have sown the dragon’s teeth regarding the selection policy being used to decide who will represent Norman Manley’s Party in the next general election.

Golding says his actions were implemented to prevent strife; the very opposite has come about.

In recent weeks there have been bitter outbursts in the constituencies of St Ann South Eastern, St Elizabeth North Eastern, and last Monday, PNP supporters from St Catherine South Eastern converged on 89 Old Hope Road to vent their disgust with the manner in which Dr Alfred Dawes was selected to represent the PNP in the next general election.

There are still stubborn defenders of acrimonious politics in our midst. Those who believe this is not a fact need to give a listen to the utterances of the deputy general secretary of the PNP, Dexroy Martin, who chastised a Radio Jamaica and a Nationwide News Network (NNN) reporters for wearing green clothing to the PNP headquarters. Martin objected to reporters questioning PNP Vice-President Mikael Phillips. He also ordered the reporters to leave the compound.

Things escalated when rape threats were issued against a female reporter. The sordid events at the PNP’s HQ last Monday are reprehensible. The threats of rape were issued inside the PNP’s HQ in the hearing of many. At the time of writing, the miscreant was not handed over to the police. I don’t believe he is a stranger to the PNP’s HQ. Until this person is handed over to the police all the apologies issued by the different arms of the PNP ring hollow.

This horrible incident has caused significant damage to Jamaica’s reputation. Consider this: “Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns multiple threats against journalists, including a threat of rape, outside the headquarters of the People’s National Party (PNP) in Kingston.” (RSF, May 9, 2023)

We have seen this awful movie before. Remember the death threats sent to NNN‘s reporter, Abka Fitz-Henley, the severe beating of the late John Hearne, and the numerous death threats to the late Wilmot Perkins. Unless we pull the plug on pushers of violence we must expect repeats of last Monday.