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Needed: A kinder, gentler society
Rev Raulston Nembhard
Saturday, November 24, 2007
I believe that all of us in Jamaica and the Diaspora should be concerned about the creation of a kinder and gentler society, one that we can bequeath to our children without embarrassment.
With this in mind, it is absolutely important that our leaders, by their actions and public utterances, set the tone for this to be done. Prime Minister Bruce Golding, and Minister of Security Derrick Smith before him, missed the opportunity to do so in public speeches that they have given recently on political platforms.
Jamaica is still a very volatile, tribal society. It is now ranked among the countries with the highest murder rates. It is a country in which its citizens are yet to understand the benefits of mediation and conciliation in the settling of disputes.
Although it boasts more churches per square mile than most countries, its citizens are yet to understand the power of forgiveness and to know the depth of human compassion in treating with mercy and fair play those with whom they have disagreements.
The Shylock principle of a pound of flesh to appease hurt egos holds true. We are more likely to shoot or chop people up than sit with them to work out our difficulties as rational human beings.
The bottom line is that we are a savage nation. It is against this background that Mr Golding's characterisation of the PNP as intellectually depraved is to be seen. I have listened to the tape recording of his speech at last Sunday's JLP conference and was taken aback by the stridency of that characterisation.
Hot, intemperate and even hostile rhetoric is perhaps pardonable on a political platform, but even Mr Golding himself, on sober reflection, will concede that he crossed a line, considering the posture of conciliation that he has taken since taking on the job of prime minister.
He was obviously stung by the Opposition's charge that the government is responsible for the price increases that have hit his new administration, but truth is on his side, and he could have explained it in a more statesmanlike manner.
He and other members of the party must understand that the politicking is over, notwithstanding the Local Government elections, which thankfully will be over on December 5.
The majority of the Jamaican people are not concerned about the tribal internecine war that either the PNP or JLP want to wage between themselves. We are concerned that this country should be governed properly. Since the JLP and the PNP are the only viable alternatives we have for government at any given time, we expect them to sit down together and work to solve the intractable problems that face this country.
We do not expect that like schoolboys and schoolgirls they tear off each other's clothes in a bullfight or that they pick up their marbles and go home when the game does not suit them. Lest they forget, we are paying them to work for us.
We call upon both parties to end their differences and get back to the table of dialogue. We have lost too much already and we have a lot more to lose if we continue this animosity. In the end it is Jamaica that suffers.
Dr Stephen Vasciannie - revisited
Since I wrote my last piece on the candidacy of Dr Vasciannie as Jamaica's next solicitor general, I have been deluged with e-mails largely in support of the position I took. Since the article, the prime minister has written to the governor general and the opposition expressing lack of confidence in the members of the Public Service Commission (PSC) and asking for their resignation.
I believe that this is a very unfortunate development. What the prime minister, and his government by extension, has done is to trespass on the constitutional privilege enjoyed by the commission.
Appointments which are constitutional, such as that of the chief justice, solicitor general, director of public prosecutions, Electoral Commission and Public Service Commission, to name a few, cannot be subjected to which party forms the government of the day.
Unlike members of public boards, their functions are seen to transcend party lines. Though they are appointed, nominated or recommended for appointment by a sitting government, they are not under the purview of the political directorate, which could have the power to capriciously call on them to resign, as I believe is the present case with the PSC.
The members of the commission are not fools. They are public servants with high integrity as far as we know. If the prime minister has evidence to the contrary he should let the people of Jamaica know and so end the guessing game.
The fact is that the present members are the constitutionally recognised bona fide members who were called upon to do a job on the resignation of Mr Michael Hylton. As far as we the members of the public know, they have done the job that they were assigned.
The outcome, however, does not accord with the wishes of the government. Should it not frighten us that a prime minister, not liking the job that they have done, can summarily call for their resignation? If they had acted in favour of the government, would he have called on them to resign?
To me, the issue goes beyond the mere appointment of Dr Vasciannie or who sits on the PSC. There are some critical principles at stake which speak directly to the integrity of our constitution.
I get unnerved when I see our leaders tinkering with any aspect of it, especially when matters of a personal nature are suggested. The matter cannot be just one of a personal confab between the political parties.
The public has a right to the facts and we again call upon the government to lay them before us. Now that the PNP has broken off all consultations with the government, when will we have a resolution? God help us!
stead6655@aol.com
Rev Raulston Nembhard
Saturday, November 24, 2007
I believe that all of us in Jamaica and the Diaspora should be concerned about the creation of a kinder and gentler society, one that we can bequeath to our children without embarrassment.
With this in mind, it is absolutely important that our leaders, by their actions and public utterances, set the tone for this to be done. Prime Minister Bruce Golding, and Minister of Security Derrick Smith before him, missed the opportunity to do so in public speeches that they have given recently on political platforms.
Jamaica is still a very volatile, tribal society. It is now ranked among the countries with the highest murder rates. It is a country in which its citizens are yet to understand the benefits of mediation and conciliation in the settling of disputes.
Although it boasts more churches per square mile than most countries, its citizens are yet to understand the power of forgiveness and to know the depth of human compassion in treating with mercy and fair play those with whom they have disagreements.
The Shylock principle of a pound of flesh to appease hurt egos holds true. We are more likely to shoot or chop people up than sit with them to work out our difficulties as rational human beings.
The bottom line is that we are a savage nation. It is against this background that Mr Golding's characterisation of the PNP as intellectually depraved is to be seen. I have listened to the tape recording of his speech at last Sunday's JLP conference and was taken aback by the stridency of that characterisation.
Hot, intemperate and even hostile rhetoric is perhaps pardonable on a political platform, but even Mr Golding himself, on sober reflection, will concede that he crossed a line, considering the posture of conciliation that he has taken since taking on the job of prime minister.
He was obviously stung by the Opposition's charge that the government is responsible for the price increases that have hit his new administration, but truth is on his side, and he could have explained it in a more statesmanlike manner.
He and other members of the party must understand that the politicking is over, notwithstanding the Local Government elections, which thankfully will be over on December 5.
The majority of the Jamaican people are not concerned about the tribal internecine war that either the PNP or JLP want to wage between themselves. We are concerned that this country should be governed properly. Since the JLP and the PNP are the only viable alternatives we have for government at any given time, we expect them to sit down together and work to solve the intractable problems that face this country.
We do not expect that like schoolboys and schoolgirls they tear off each other's clothes in a bullfight or that they pick up their marbles and go home when the game does not suit them. Lest they forget, we are paying them to work for us.
We call upon both parties to end their differences and get back to the table of dialogue. We have lost too much already and we have a lot more to lose if we continue this animosity. In the end it is Jamaica that suffers.
Dr Stephen Vasciannie - revisited
Since I wrote my last piece on the candidacy of Dr Vasciannie as Jamaica's next solicitor general, I have been deluged with e-mails largely in support of the position I took. Since the article, the prime minister has written to the governor general and the opposition expressing lack of confidence in the members of the Public Service Commission (PSC) and asking for their resignation.
I believe that this is a very unfortunate development. What the prime minister, and his government by extension, has done is to trespass on the constitutional privilege enjoyed by the commission.
Appointments which are constitutional, such as that of the chief justice, solicitor general, director of public prosecutions, Electoral Commission and Public Service Commission, to name a few, cannot be subjected to which party forms the government of the day.
Unlike members of public boards, their functions are seen to transcend party lines. Though they are appointed, nominated or recommended for appointment by a sitting government, they are not under the purview of the political directorate, which could have the power to capriciously call on them to resign, as I believe is the present case with the PSC.
The members of the commission are not fools. They are public servants with high integrity as far as we know. If the prime minister has evidence to the contrary he should let the people of Jamaica know and so end the guessing game.
The fact is that the present members are the constitutionally recognised bona fide members who were called upon to do a job on the resignation of Mr Michael Hylton. As far as we the members of the public know, they have done the job that they were assigned.
The outcome, however, does not accord with the wishes of the government. Should it not frighten us that a prime minister, not liking the job that they have done, can summarily call for their resignation? If they had acted in favour of the government, would he have called on them to resign?
To me, the issue goes beyond the mere appointment of Dr Vasciannie or who sits on the PSC. There are some critical principles at stake which speak directly to the integrity of our constitution.
I get unnerved when I see our leaders tinkering with any aspect of it, especially when matters of a personal nature are suggested. The matter cannot be just one of a personal confab between the political parties.
The public has a right to the facts and we again call upon the government to lay them before us. Now that the PNP has broken off all consultations with the government, when will we have a resolution? God help us!
stead6655@aol.com
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