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Issue: Insulting the electorate
Published: Saturday | June 20, 2009
THE EDITOR, SIR:
All things being equal, Members of Parliament Daryl Vaz and Gregory Mair should be congratulated for what appears to have been effective representation and solid performances in their respective constituencies. Well, on the surface, this is how it seems.
If the reports of lavish, curiously timed state projects and resource allocations are anything to go by, one is left to believe all things were never equal, or even close to it. These reports are, as yet, unrefuted and the above elect victories eked out by these gentlemen, and possibly others to come, were partially bankrolled by a state apparatus which shamelessly poured it on, reasonable protests from a number of quarters notwithstanding. What is even more puzzling is the virtual acceptance and apparent resignation to this trend by a once strident, now curiously silent, media.
While sycophantic henchmen from either party might be expected to view state-assisted political campaigning as par for the course, any self-respecting society must frown on this pirate-like rape of our hard-earned democratic traditions and values.
To the non-partisan observer, the utterances of our prime minister, while hunting votes for Jamaica House, had raised the bar of expectations and one could not be faulted for thinking that a qualitative upward shift to the governance threshold was imminent.
It is therefore very shameful to hear today's government spokespersons, once the wrinkled brow advocates for probity and decency while in Opposition, now arrogantly defending the abuse of state funds.
This is insulting to thinking people, and betrays a view of Jamaicans, who they imagine will abandon principle for temporarily stocked community bars, hurriedly implemented projects, street hype and a wad of cash.
I am, etc.,
WAT CHING wat.ching@yahoo.com
Kingston 6
Published: Saturday | June 20, 2009
THE EDITOR, SIR:
All things being equal, Members of Parliament Daryl Vaz and Gregory Mair should be congratulated for what appears to have been effective representation and solid performances in their respective constituencies. Well, on the surface, this is how it seems.
If the reports of lavish, curiously timed state projects and resource allocations are anything to go by, one is left to believe all things were never equal, or even close to it. These reports are, as yet, unrefuted and the above elect victories eked out by these gentlemen, and possibly others to come, were partially bankrolled by a state apparatus which shamelessly poured it on, reasonable protests from a number of quarters notwithstanding. What is even more puzzling is the virtual acceptance and apparent resignation to this trend by a once strident, now curiously silent, media.
While sycophantic henchmen from either party might be expected to view state-assisted political campaigning as par for the course, any self-respecting society must frown on this pirate-like rape of our hard-earned democratic traditions and values.
To the non-partisan observer, the utterances of our prime minister, while hunting votes for Jamaica House, had raised the bar of expectations and one could not be faulted for thinking that a qualitative upward shift to the governance threshold was imminent.
It is therefore very shameful to hear today's government spokespersons, once the wrinkled brow advocates for probity and decency while in Opposition, now arrogantly defending the abuse of state funds.
This is insulting to thinking people, and betrays a view of Jamaicans, who they imagine will abandon principle for temporarily stocked community bars, hurriedly implemented projects, street hype and a wad of cash.
I am, etc.,
WAT CHING wat.ching@yahoo.com
Kingston 6
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