The Editor, Sir:

The upcoming elections must be decided by informed persons and must be based on an objective analysis of the past, and the past performances of both political parties and their stewardship throughout the period of their governance.

Interesting period

We have had an interesting period of independence (August 1962 to date) in this country. Most analyses of the 44 years will be dependent on the political persuasion of the individual asked to analyze the period. If the truth be told, getting an impartial historical analysis from persons we would say are 'in the know' is nearly impossible. The following is my view of what has characterized each of the decades, and the tone and posture of the political environment.

The decade of the sixties was a period of unprecedented and unequalled growth and development in our country's history. This was accomplished by rapid industrialisation and the beginning of a transformation in our education sector. The decade of the seventies was a period of social transformation, political (turmoil) experimentation and economic nightmare.

The decade of the eighties was a period of economic resuscitation, political tensions and blunders, and the beginning of (hard) drug culture. The decade of the nineties was characterized as a politically scandal-ridden, economic liberalisation and bungling, and a socially declining era. So far, this current decade is shaping up to be a mirror image of the nineties.

I am, etc.,

I.C. WADE

ircivwade@hotmail.com

Via Go-Jamaica