THE EDITOR, Sir:THE WRITING of a new political chapter has started in the beautiful land called Jamaica.
In just about a month or so, Portia Simpson Miller will officially be in charge of leading the people of Jamaica into a new era, as she has promised.
For a very long time since independence, it seems that all of Jamaica is optimistic about the prospects of the kind of leadership that this Prime Minister will provide.
The expectations are very great. The question is, can she deliver?
NO UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
Jamaicans would do well if they did not have unrealistic expectations. The election of Mrs. Simpson Miller as Prime Minister should not be seen as heralding an immediate plethora of job opportunities which to date have been very few.
Currently, 75 cents in every dollar goes towards the servicing of our national debt.
In the words of former Prime Minister Edward Seaga, "It takes cash to care" and since there is no cash to care, it is in the country's interest if expectations are adjusted accordingly.
At present, there is no money to immediately spend to create opportunities; no money to address crime and violence adequately; no money to fix the roads, so why is there such a great optimism being expressed by people of all stripes?
I submit that there is a belief among Jamaicans that Mrs. Simpson Miller is capable of inspiring hope and will evoke the creative genius in the people. Jamaicans on a whole have a penchant for charisma and Portia exhibits this rare quality.
Since independence, we have had two other Prime Ministers who were charismatic, Sir Alexander Bustamante and Michael Manley.
Charisma is a political capital that Portia has going for her. Given the harsh economic and social realities that are strangling our nation, this capital will buy her some time to turn things around.
IMPLEMENT
STRONG MEASURES
She should capitalise on this and implement the strong measures that will be necessary for economic development and social renewal, because charisma or no charisma, there is a limit to how long and how much a people will tolerate.
If there is going to be any significant improvement in the quality of life in Jamaica, a lot of personal sacrifices will have to be made.
This is a fact that we better come to appreciate and prepare to embrace.
As a Jamaican, I hope that this new era in the life of the most beautiful country in the world will also see the dissolution of political tribalism and all that goes with it.
I wish the new Prime Minister all the best in her new position, and salute her for climbing from the bowels of hardship to the summit of political eminence. She has an advantage in doing well, in that she has no Ph.D. to distract her.
I am, etc.,
LAVAL WILKINSON
lavalwilkinson@hotmail.com
North York
Ontario, Canada
Via Go-Jamaica
