In search of worthwhile campaign speeches THE EDITOR, Sir: REFERENCE TO recent campaign speeches by members of the ruling party. I am writing my evaluation of the above-mentioned and therefore stand to be corrected. The speeches by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Security have provided "food for thought". Their tone, mannerism and choice of words, such as "invincible" and "crush", after careful evaluation, could be construed as the Party being overly-confident or as a forewarning of a dictatorship governance. On the matter of the latter assumption, many of us know and History has confirmed that under dictatorships: opposing ideas and preferences were forcefully crushed, sometimes resulting in the victimisation, imprisonment and/or murdering of the opposition. Dictators, intoxicated by power, controlled the military and the justice system so as to maintain an invincible governance. In today's advanced and much more politically free world, dictators such as the Taliban government of Afghanistan force people to conform to ideologies and ways of life that mentally/physically enslave the vulnerable majority. One glaring example is their laws regarding women. In the past, some Jamaicans choose leaders based on family tradition, 'spirit tek' and 'handouts'. Usually, scant attention is paid to what politicians say during campaigns. These speeches are usually filled with much banter and, of late, threatening and belittling undertones. Issues that involve our welfare such as national peace, justice, education, health, available employment with respectable terms and conditions are mentioned in passing. Finally, could the various Election Watch groups provide guidelines for campaign speeches, guidelines that ensure that what each speaker says is respectful, it promotes peace, it addresses issues etc. I am, etc., A. THYME P.O. Box 535 Kingston 6
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