Garth Rattray
FAR BE it from me to engage in journalistic jousting, I don't intend for my comment ('Portia's mission and legacy') to go any farther.
There'll be no parrying and thrusting with Mr. Wignall over the important issue of the future of our beloved country.
I, however, feel it my duty to reiterate the point that I made regarding the leadership of outgoing Prime Minister Patterson and the (overly-enthusiastic and unrealistic) expectations that people have for Portia Simpson Miller. In fact, it is unfair to expect so much from her.
I actually look forward to and welcome the opinions of others even when they are rabidly opposed to my views.
My only disappointment is in the way that some commentators degrade the debate by attacking the writer in the hope that by diminishing his/her worth, it will somehow add strength to the argument being put forward.
Fortunately, perceptive minds will not only see through the ploy, but they will also realise that a strong argument does not need the distraction of besmirching the messenger.
BLAMING PATTERSON
I remain baffled at how so many people seek to lay the blame for all our ills at the feet of P.J. Patterson.
Our problems were solidly rooted way before he took office. Based on the prevailing circumstances and the traditional leadership role that he played, he was decent, dutiful and responsible.
What we need to remember is that no one individual, by him or herself, can make enough of a difference to turn this nation around and set it on the path to recovery.
Long before Patterson took the oath of office, other far less honourable politicians exploited our underprivileged and rendered them dependent on hand-outs for their existence.
The resultant poverty helped to disintegrate families and open the door for gangs and the fealty that they engender among our young males. Some politicians were also putting in place area leaders/dons to run things (part of that multiplicity of mini leaders to which I referred last week).
We should not waste time unleashing our discontent and wrath on one man because our myriad systemic ailments came to fruition during his tenure.
If we continue to savage (and not merely criticise) whatever prime minister occupies the role of leader, we will denigrate the office and miss the big picture; the need to look to ourselves and our people to do away with tribalism and unify the nation under the banner of nationalism.
Gone are the colonial days when everything depended on the few people at the top, we must look to our citizenry for salvation.
We have had notably powerful and efficient leaders in the past. Of note is Michael Manley.
He was very popular and extremely charismatic, but in spite of his wonderful social programmes (from which I benefited tremendously), we all know where that got us in the end.
PILL OF DESPONDENCY
Edward Seaga was so conscientious and strong that he attempted to run the country single-handedly. That failed experiment in autocratic leader-ship haunts the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to this very day.
So much so that it's been said that the People's National Party didn't win all those elections, it was the JLP that lost them.
I, too, have high hopes for Mrs. Simpson Miller. Her strong point is her ability to merge with the people and to arouse within them their many attributes made dormant by frustration with "the system".
Mark my words; if Mrs. Simpson Miller does not capitalise on her natural abilities and instead chooses to go the traditional leadership route, then we will all be swallowing the bitter pill of despondency.
Dr Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice.
