DR. TREVOR GARDENER'S writings on Japan's economic successes while largely correct in its findings tend to ignore the deep-rooted negative legacies of slavery in Jamaican society which serves to retard development. These legacies of slavery and colonialism (not found in Japan's recent history) include a deep disrespect and distrust for our own intellectuals (if they are profoundly creative and different from the masses) and a feeling that good ideas can only come from respected Anglo/American sources.
For example, I have seen cases wherein good ideas on Local Government Reform (a critical element for development change in any nation) have been ignored and disrespected by national/local leaders who, in refusing to humbly learn new ideas respond with blind ignorance and rudeness. Much of Jamaica's current problems are the result of a lack of wise forward planning in the years leading up to Independence as our leaders simply sought the easy way of borrowing/adopting (with little creative foresight) political structures and institutions that are essentially alien to our needs, being the product of our colonial masters).
A country's capacity to become great hinges on the propensity of its leaders to be appropriately humble and creatively open-minded to all ideas that promote beneficial change. In essence Dr. Gardener, Jamaica will never move forward if its leaders (and people) move backwards by thinking and holding on to the negative colonial values (which encourages disrespect for ideas generated outside the proverbial box) especially in terms of radical systems of governance and the public sector management of scarce resources.
