Garth Rattray
OBSERVER COLUMNIST Mark Wignall has been appealing to political ethics in his relentless efforts to secure the removal or resignation of Andrew Gallimore, Opposition Member of Parliament for West Rural St. Andrew. The MP was accused of abusing his parliamentary privilege (immunities of the Parliament) when he launched an unapproved and biased attack against popular business magnate, Gordon 'Butch' Stewart.
Several people have compared this event with one many years ago when the Honourable Edward Seaga chose the safety of Parliament to make scurrilous statements about my now deceased friend, Joseph Burey. Joe was arrested and his name severely besmirched. He was eventually quietly and unceremoniously exonerated of all the allegations. The untrue statements wrecked Joe's life and left an unhealed scar that he carried to his grave some months ago.
Joe was not a rich and powerful celebrity; he was just like the rest of us. Perhaps if someone of influence had come forward in his defence, MPs would think twice about their utterances in the Honourable House. Mr. Wignall's crusade, though futile, is therefore a just one; and perhaps he's wondering why it is that his Herculean efforts have yielded nothing.
VOTING INFLUENCE
Given his vast knowledge base and grass-roots connections, Mr. Wignall should know that the vote is the currency of politics. Votes influence the financial, industrial, social and even "ethical" decisions that politicians make. Votes can determine who gets what, when, where and how. They determine who is untouchable. Votes explain why Dr. Davies (a public servant) can have the temerity to threaten the press (our only true watchdog and disseminator of information), why street dances blare until 6:00 a.m., why most tradesmen remain unregistered (and, therefore, outside the tax net), why government ministries get away with flagrant inefficiencies and why it takes Mark Wignall to agitate for strong disciplinary action for the misuse of parliamentary privileges.
Whenever someone rich, bright or powerful appears on the social radar, politicians ask, "Is he/she one of us?" It's a question designed to ascertain if that blip on the screen can attract votes for a particular political party. Whenever someone opts to serve his/her country by entering representational politics, one of the first things that happen is a sudden and dramatic appearance of countless hangers on, touts, "security" personnel and a retinue in need of one hand out or the other. The list of attendants varies from unsavoury criminal characters to the genuinely poor in desperate need of assistance. The people have the votes that the politicians want - this is the basis of the symbiotic relationship.
THE BEST PARTY
We would all like to believe that the decision to vote for one party over the other is all about idealism but that is far from the truth and mostly a product of our wishful thinking. Party affiliations are often built on one of several things: Family tradition, where people live, where people work, where people get favours, how people get contracts, where people get promotions, who helps out with the food, rent, utilities, school and clothes bills.
Of course, ideally, it should be about which party can stop the bloodshed. It ought to be about which party can get us the best foreign trade deals. We should vote for the party that can provide jobs, affordable houses and cheap amenities for everyone. We should seek to back the party that can best provide inexpensive, dependable, efficient and safe public transport. We should support the party that can eliminate corruption. We should install the party that can secure a strong financial future for Jamaica and provide an environment amenable to production and exportation instead of consumption and importation. But, sadly, too many Jamaicans vote out of enlightened self-interest.
People do not often base votes on ethics while politicians often base their 'ethics' on votes. I don't see the Jamaica Labour Party severely disciplining or asking Andrew Gallimore to resign over this embarrassing matter and I can't imagine him resigning voluntarily. He is too hard a worker and too valuable a "vote magnet". It has nothing to do with ethics, and it never will.
Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice.
