THE EDITOR, Madam:
WE JAMAICANS have disconnected ideas from power and created citizens who disdain politics and politicians. Now more than ever we need to value politics and what politicians do. It is time we ask ourselves what can we do to govern these politicians and ourselves.
The change that is needed will have to come from the bottom. We the ordinary citizens must stop waiting for our leaders to save us, we have to save ourselves, because we are the ones who are suffering.
We have elected officials and sent them to Parliament to bang desks and get fat. What do we expect from our leaders? Do we expect accountability, honesty, people of integrity? It is time to put professional drivers around the wheels and stop electing people who love driving but can't even hold the wheels steady.
The reason Jamaica is in this state is because as soon as we elect a leader and send him to Parliament, we abandon him. It's time for us Jamaicans to get back into action, admit that we have made a mistake, discard the armour of hopelessness and denial we wear and then educate ourselves for action.
It's time for us to breathe the fresh air of democracy and reclaim what's rightfully ours. It's time for us to realise that democracy is not a spectator sport but the way of life.
I am etc.,
OTIS MARAJAH
E-mail: omarajah@hotmail.com
