The Editor, Sir:

There needs to be a fundamental rethinking and refashioning of our political practice, which I believe continues to be a huge barrier to our progress as a nation.

Jamaica's politics needs to focus centrally on the welfare of the people of the country and less so on the welfare of the political parties. I have always maintained that when we put the people's interests first and when, in so doing, we are able to realise a better country, the political parties will only benefit.

Too many people continue to believe that the politicians' chief responsibility to them is to provide handouts. People are expected to be bussed and fed when the parties hold their annual conferences; they expect the politicians to show up at their yards when there is a death in the family and to bring something with them; they expect the politicians to visit the rum bars and even to buy out the bars; they expect the politicians to be always armed with cash to 'let off' something. The expectation or desire is not to obtain meaningful assistance or opportunities from the politicians to better their lives, and this continues to be an indictment on our political practice.

A fundamental policy of our government should be building the capacity of our people such that they can be afforded meaningful opportunities to realise their human potential. In still too many communities across Jamaica, the sense of hopelessness continues to affect too many people, who continue to complain of the lack of jobs and opportunities otherwise.

In order to improve the capacity of our people and, by extension, the productivity and development of our country, we will have to invest heavily in improving our education system. The effects of having a nation of illiterate or barely literate people are well known, although this might be politically convenient for some for whom an illiterate population will be easier to exploit and manipulate for political purposes.

Remarkable successes

Under the previous administration, a move was made to 'upgrade' all former secondary schools to high schools. Only a few of those schools have reportedly experienced remarkable successes or the potential for same. In most of those schools, all that was changed is the name, while still intact is the basic framework with which they were operating as secondary schools; poorly trained teachers, ill-equipped classrooms, libraries and laboratories and the continued lack of proper resources.

In light of the massive salary increases granted to our teachers recently, which I support, we must now seek greater accountability from our teachers and schools. We will have to act boldly to improve struggling schools, getting better teachers into our schools, and closing those that are failing, if it comes down to that.

It just cannot be business as usual. It is time to put Jamaica first for the benefit of all.

I am, etc.,

KEVIN KO SANGSTER

sangstek@msn.com

New Jersey, USA