Geof BrownHAVE YOU noticed the shift in public discourse on matters of foremost concern? The University of the West Indies as "an intellectual ghetto," courtesy of Mutty Perkins, and the mass nude wedding, courtesy of Super Clubs Hedonism III hotel, are both at the forefront of discussion and concern. The JLP lead in the polls and leading pollster Mark Wignall's reverse projection that Mr. Seaga is electable after all, fall far behind the two front-runners. Even the Prime Minister's "state-of-the-nation" TV address gets a back-seat.
What does the "new" trend portend? Is it significant that in a country where almost two-thirds of the population is turned off politics, other matters of our moral and intellectual well-being now surge to the forefront? It may be too early to tell. Suffice it to observe that the heavy and often nasty dialogue of political tribalism is apparently in abeyance. Even the JLP is not doing any great public trumpeting about its lead in the polls, admittedly slim though it is.
The "intellectual ghetto" matter is getting a surprising amount of traction in the news media. I believe even Mr. Perkins must be taken by surprise at the reaction to what should have been a throw-away remark. Normally, to throw a damning phrase at a major institution without first making a compelling case, would condemn the accuser to be a frothy thinker. The fact that the relatively undefended phrase has attracted so much attention and discourse shows that it must have some merit.
I say "undefended" because I have yet to see or hear Mr. Perkins make a sweeping case for a sweeping generalisation about a multi-faceted institution. A university is a collection of a large number of academic disciplines, reflected in a number of faculties some of which know little or nothing about the others. It is also a place of intellectual ferment where scholars heavily criticise other scholars within the same discipline or faculty.
Indeed the internal criticism by scholars of any university (including the UWI) is far sharper and more extensive and intensive than any external criticism by academics, non-academics, or intellectuals. But the public has a right to question the role and usefulness of a university as a whole. This is even more true of a university serving a developing country as the UWI does. And I, as a Senior Lecturer at the UWI, have criticised its role, structure and especially its relevance.
But I believe we need much more of substance in the debate which Mr. Perkins' catch-phrase has initiated. Since his remark has some obvious merit, I would have liked to see Mr. Perkins produce a scholarly or intellectual well-researched thesis on "Why I have branded the UWI an Intellectual Ghetto". In response, responsible UWI administration and scholars should then give reasoned arguments and useful data either agreeing or disagreeing with reasoned positions of Perkins.
So far the response to Perkins has been either weak or jerky or under-informed, thus giving his catch-phrase some credence. Both Perkins himself and those who take him on owe the public much more of substance. For the fact is that UWI ranks high on scholarship and in the achievements of its graduates when compared to leading universities. But its flaws and deficits could also do with a good public rinsing, to enlighten itself as well as the rest of us.
The other news front-runner is a horse of a different colour. The nude wedding in mass, widely advertised as a Jamaican special and a new twist in innovative tourism, has provoked strong reactions. Most of the reaction appears to be moral outrage. I must confess that at first I dismissed the attention as overdone and not worth the time being spent on it. The truth is I was not well-informed then and thought this was just about one couple electing to exchange their vows privately on the beach in the altogether.
But now the dimension of the event does give cause for concern. A public commentator friend of mine put it in context by objecting to Jamaica being sold as a "sex destination". Another major public figure told me his objection is not to nudity per se, but to all the attendant orgy implications of that kind of mass event. It is true, as several commentators have pointed out, that there is much hypocrisy in the outcry especially since near-type events by locals and tourists have long been tolerated here and even accepted.
Intellectual
pursuits
But two wrongs never made a right. Jamaica needs to be very careful with its tourism product because it is a life-line for us.
A "sex-destination" is not the kind of brand that is likely to enhance the product as we compete with other destinations which may then be perceived as having a better sense of decency. The same tourism event in say, California, would hardly threaten loss of tourism clientele for the USA. But one hotel of a big chain can affect Jamaica's tourism image by its doings.
And morals aside, there is also the matter of good taste, something sadly disappearing in Jamaica. That too, should be put in the mix.
But perhaps there is hope for us. Intellectual pursuits and moral stances are major current concerns. Will that last?
Geof Brown is an HRD consultant who teaches part-time at the University of the West Indies. E-mail: browngeof@hotmail.com
