THE LEADERSHIP bar for political office was raised when the mayor of Spanish Town had to step down from office over the past two weeks.
While the JLP must be commended for the steps they took in getting the goodly mayor to exit his post (but not his councillor position) after some initial waffling, it should be clear to political aspirants that a precedent was set for what constitutes leadership at all levels. Political and other leaders must be held morally accountable if we are to raise the bar and create a resurgence in good values.
It must be clear to those who aspire to lead at all levels that certain things must not be tolerated, regardless of who you are, as what you do must convey the right messages. Too many of us say the right things by 'talking the talk but don't walk the walk' and then wonder why our children get mixed messages or consider that adults are hypocrites. This must apply in business, the classroom, the church, and of course the home.
I must say however, that while a message is being sent to set the tone for future political leaders, I am not sure that the political system that we have in Jamaica has got the message.
A case in point - with the Dr. Notice resignation, I was quite interested when I saw that a group of Bog Walk women had come out to demand Dr. Notice's resignation from his constituency with various signs saying in essence, that what goes for the high office should also be done at the lower office. I was disappointed to see however that rather than it being a demonstration from the women of his constituency registering their disgust (as it should have been), it was all political with the PNP having organised the protest, given that Dr. Notice is on the other side.
One week later the JLP side organised their own counter-demonstration in support of Dr. Notice with one supporter saying that other councillors on the PNP side were as culpable as Dr. Notice.
The moral issue behind spousal abuse is not therefore something that both political sides can agree on as being unacceptable. Instead it was the same old style 'politricking' that has wrecked the country.
It is not what was done that either side had an issue with, but who did it, with their view coloured by whether the culprit was JLP or PNP. This is unacceptable and those who took part in the demonstration must be told this by the leadership aspirants in either party as there is a higher bar being raised that they are in danger of failing to clear.
For too long what was permissible as spousal abuse has gone unchecked. It does not matter how good a man is, when he beats his woman, he is in need of correction.
It does not matter whether it is a man beating his woman, or a woman beating up her man (yes, it happen); both must be seen as unacceptable human behaviour. If we are to address the cycle of violence, it has to start somewhere and I hope that the message that was sent on this issue is one we all embrace. Beaters beware.
Take notice, a good precedent has been set and it has raised the bar to high office.
