THE EDITOR, Sir:
I CHALLENGE all Jamaican politicians to be "brutally honest" with themselves, and take personal responsibility for changing the cynical way people think of them and of their parties, because "no one party leader can do this alone". We don't just need new party leaders, we need leaders who can confront Jamaica's challenges, know and understand today's Jamaica, and offer a compelling vision of tomorrow's Jamaica that will inspire the next generation of young people.
Soon the PNP will elect a new party leader. I haven't a clue whom they will pick. But I know this: whoever it is, on their own it won't be enough. We need much more than just a new leader. "It's for all of us in every single thing we say or do. It means every MP, JLP or PNP to understand that what he or she says, and how he or she behaves, can damage or enhance the entire future of Jamaica."
If they want to change what some people think of them and their party, then they have got to change, including changing the way they behave and the way they talk. The problem is that people do not see the values of honesty, generosity, respect for all, compassion, and fairness reflected in the parties.
THE WORLD OF POLITICS
Let me try and put this in perspective for those of you who are not familiar with the world of politics. The most dangerous 'ism' in Jamaica now is the new cynicism. The 'ism' that most dominates Jamaica's political debate today is not the JLP Conservatism, or the PNP Socialism, or the NDM Liberalism. It is cynicism. As the Jamaican general election looms on the horizon, cynicism about politics unites those who will vote with those who won't, and it infests every political party in Jamaica.
SERIOUS POLITICAL CHANGE
Those of us who want to see a serious political change in Jamaica should raise the horizons of debate. I think some Jamaican politicians come across as manipulative and self-publicising, not because they desire to be so, but because some media house in Jamaica for all its cynical probing, necessitates a self publicising approach. It's actually extremely rare that we as Jamaicans living overseas get the chance to hear and see them put forward any genuine thinking behind their party policies, like Mr. Bruce Golding and Mr. Derrick Smith did at the London Central Hall (U.K.) on Friday, October 14, 2005
Cynical or sceptical, it is easy and necessary to be suspicious about the motives of our politicians. No one seems to question that there is one subject which should be high in all the parties' manifestos but which seems to be a given a wide body swerve - truth and honesty. Until truth and honesty are seen as the primary issues, we must always remain at least sceptical but more often that not cynical.
I am, etc.,
COTTRELL HYATT
chyatt@postmaster.co.uk
14 Clermont Road
London E9 7RR,UK
