Ian Boyne
IT'S A new year. Why start it by handicapping ourselves with all the negatives, what-might-have-beens and by reciting the litany of things which are truly wrong about Jamaica? What harm would be done by reflecting on some positives?
For the incurable cynics and doomsayers, may I start by saying that one of the things which is right about Jamaica is that a Wilmot 'Motty' Perkins can be on the airwaves four and a half hours every day, five days a week assailing the Government most acerbically and trenchantly, and the Government knows that it had better not do one damn thing about it.
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) partisans can call and make the most sensational charges against the People's National Party (PNP) and its Government; Joan Williams can sound off just as bitingly on the air as anyone would on any street corner or any verandah and she has the absolute freedom to do so, while John Maxwell can say the most uncomplimentary things about PJ Patterson, his former comrade in arms, and PJ had better "sup" it. That's one of the things which is right about Jamaica - our freedom of expression and our vibrant sometimes raucous press and talk-shows.
There are a number of countries in the world, including ones like Singapore which Mr Perkins adores and never tires to tell us about, in which such criticisms of the Government would be deemed sacrilegious and absolutely proscribed. We are not like that here - that's one of the things which is right about Jamaica.
RESPONSIBLE OPPOSITION
Another thing which is right about Jamaica is that we don't have an irresponsible Opposition bent on taking power at all costs. Sure, the Opposition has made irresponsible statements. But, comrades, think calmly about the many 'challenges' which the country has faced and the hardships being experienced in some quarters and ask yourselves whether a more militant Opposition would not have exploited those challenges and hardships in a Machiavellian way.
Indeed, I make the point that one of the reasons Opposition leader Bruce Golding is not seen as having traction, being forceful and making an impact on the nation is because he has refused to take some of the more incendiary actions that members of his own party wanted him to take. Critics within the party are saying that Bruce is too afraid of the middle class, that he is constantly looking over his shoulders and driving the party through the rear view mirror. They say he is a coward.
What some of these hotheads don't realise is how delicate this democratic system is and that once one takes a winner-take-all or a scorched earth approach, one is sowing the seeds of his own future destruction. One of the things which is right about Jamaica is that we have an Opposition leader who, despite his weaknesses and occasional indecisiveness, is generally level-headed, balanced and responsible. Don't remind me about his 'bangarang' and other indiscretions about which I have already criticised him. Just think of the number of things which have occurred which Golding could have reacted more firmly and vehemently to, and you will realise that his gaffes have been the exception rather than the rule.
There are many countries which don't have the calibre of leadership Jamaica has in Bruce Golding. Yes, in 2006 he might have to 'chuck it' more and 'bring the fight to the PNP', but one thing is sure: He will always be responsive to middle class and civil society reactions. He does not have the arrogance and blatant disregard for public opinion that some other Opposition leaders in other countries have. That's a positive for Jamaica.
And while we in the media are salivating over the popularity contest for the leadership of the Peoples National Party, we neglect to mention a few things. There are too many examples of leaders of other countries having to be hounded and pushed out of office, leaders who have rigged elections and have corruptly kept themselves in power, while here in Jamaica, we have a Prime Minister who is voluntarily relinquishing power before he has to and in the absence of any term limits. That's another thing which is right about Jamaica.
Some might say his goodbye is too long, but don't forget he is the one who initiated the goodbye. And he is not leaving for ill-health and certainly not because he is intellectually weary. He has left as part of his legacy an electoral system of which he and all of us can be proud. A system for which the Opposition and that stalwart and nationalist, Edward Seaga, campaigned hard for.
MANY THINGS WRONG
There are still many things wrong - terribly wrong - with Jamaica. But the very fact that there is such intensity in talking about them; the fact that so many people are voicing their objections to our levels of crime, corruption, indiscipline etc. is itself one of the things which is right about us. You could have a situation in which people did not really care; a situation in which it was business as usual, with the Government doing whatever it wants to do without strong advocacy from civil society groups.
Say what you want about our human rights and other lobby groups, they give substance to our democracy and keep the state on its toes. Even if you say the state is treating the positions of these groups with impunity, I say if that were even so, can you
imagine how much worse it would be without the strength of these groups and their prominence in the increasingly powerful media?
There was a time when Jamaica was sharply polarised over the issue of growth-versus-equity, and when there was no national consensus on the importance of economic growth, of controlling inflation, interest rates and ensuring macroeconomic stability. Today the two main political parties are agreed on the imperative of economic growth and on supporting the private sector as the main engine of growth. While there are serious problems with the neo-liberal economic model,
and this column has consistently pointed them out, let there be no second-guessing of the absolute necessity of economic growth.
You can't deal with economic redistribution without economic growth. The economic literature is conclusive: There can be no sustainable improvements in the standards of living of the poor without sustained economic growth. A 570-page book has recently rolled off the press, The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth by the former Chairman of the Department of Economics at Harvard, Professor Benjamin Friedman. He demonstrates that when countries don't grow a number of social and moral problems appear or are worsened, and that economic growth has the potential (note the word) to raise the moral fibre of a nation.
In Jamaica there is no debate on the necessity of economic growth. That's positive for Jamaica. Some of the PNP ideologues in the 1970s paid too little attention to economic management and not enough attention was amid to issues of equity in the 1960s, though Eddie Seaga made commendable efforts. That's of the past. If we had paid more attention to balanced development over the 1960s and the 1970s we would be much better off today.
Friedman mentions Jamaica in his tome on economic growth : "Jamaica and South Korea present a similar contrast. A quarter of a century ago both countries had average incomes about 20 percent of the level of the United States, after allowing for cost-of-living differences, with a slight advantage to Jamaica.
"But since then on average Korea's economy has outpaced the country's population growth by fully 5.5 per cent per annum and Jamaica's per capita income has grown by only point four (.4) per cent". Friedman notes that South Korea has a per capita income of US$18,000 while Jamaica's is US$3,800 "Indeed on most measures South Korea has approximately reached American levels. Jamaica certainly has not".
But today our political class and our elites are at one on the necessity of economic growth and macroeconomic responsibility, though some persons will mouth some populist sentiments at times to play to the gallery.
Watch television and see the plethora of ads for this or that evening institute or post-secondary school, all giving many Jamaicans who were left out of the system another chance. One of the biggest growth industries in Jamaica, apart from the security industry which our media focus on, is the educational industry. Obviously more ordinary Jamaicans are taking education seriously and are bettering themselves.
Our middle class people are increasingly taking advanced degrees through the multiplicity of overseas university programmes which are offered here as well as those from the University of the West Indies. This is one of the things which are right about Jamaica which stand us in good stead to meet the demands of globalization.
Jamaican music, hijacked by the nihilists and the crazies who were glorifying gunmanship and slackness, has been recaptured by the conscious Rastafarians. On many shows one can see conscious people like Gyptian, Morgan Heritage, Turbulance, Natty King, Warrior King, Richie Spice, Chuck Fenda, I-Wayne and the youth Nanko, singing of his desire for a stable relationship - remarkably.
Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley "mashed up' the "Welcome to Jamrock" show recently with his conscious lyrics urging people to pay attention to their health, not to become too materialistic and urging the girls away from promiscuous sex. Besides, he is showing how an artiste can draw attention to the negatives in the society without promoting them. This is the Grammy Winner who represents the resurgence of consciousness and culture in our music. The great Burning Spear will perform at Rebel Salute this year. The almshouse bredda dem and the misguided sistas are still around, but praise Jah for His mercies.
There are many things right with Jamaica. Let's focus on that today and encourage ourselves to tackle the things which are wrong with us.
Ian Boyne is a veteran journalist. You can send your comments to ianboyne1@yahoo.com
