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In need of heroes
Monday, October 19, 2009
Jamaicans should be forgiven if the celebratory mood on today's National Heroes' Day is muted compared to most such days past.
The truth is that, for most people times are harder now than they have been for a long time.
Job losses, wage freezes, a rising cost of living and the promise of worse to come pose a huge challenge on the economic front. That the entire world is struggling with economic recession is cold comfort for the growing number of our people unable to make ends meet.
Even worse, Jamaicans perceive that rather than getting better, violent crime - which, over a period of decades, has tormented the nation and hindered social and economic progress - is getting worse.
Now more than ever before ordinary Jamaicans through the length and breadth of this nation feel unsafe, not just on the streets and as they go about their daily business, but in their homes. Worse, a growing number of Jamaicans no longer believe that the nation's leaders are in charge.
Nor do many Jamaicans any longer believe that their leaders possess the will, capacity or even the credibility required to take charge.
That, as this newspaper has pointed out in this space previously, is the reason that some - such as that much-talked-about group in Mandeville - are contemplating taking the law into their own hands.
Now, as much as at any time in our history, Jamaica needs heroes. Not just those who have made us proud over the last two years at Beijing and Berlin.
We refer not only to those unsung heroes who keep our communities going on a daily basis - those youth club leaders, pensioners, teachers, policemen, health workers, et al who work tirelessly and selflessly with little or no thought of financial returns.
This newspaper believes that now, as much as at any time in history, Jamaica needs heroic leadership at the level of governance. We speak of the kind of leadership that will deal not just in talk but will act decisively in addressing problems, including crime and the economy regardless of the political consequences; the kind of leadership that will arrive at a political consensus on the anti-crime fight no matter what.
We speak of the kind of leadership which, in pursuit of the maintenance of integrity and credibility would, regardless of the political consequences, inform Messrs Kern Spencer and Joseph Hibbert that they need to step away from Parliament. The kind of national leadership intent on doing the right thing, regardless.
Now, as much as at any time in history, Jamaica needs leaders of whom our National Heroes would have been proud.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/edito..._OF_HEROES.asp
Monday, October 19, 2009
Jamaicans should be forgiven if the celebratory mood on today's National Heroes' Day is muted compared to most such days past.
The truth is that, for most people times are harder now than they have been for a long time.
Job losses, wage freezes, a rising cost of living and the promise of worse to come pose a huge challenge on the economic front. That the entire world is struggling with economic recession is cold comfort for the growing number of our people unable to make ends meet.
Even worse, Jamaicans perceive that rather than getting better, violent crime - which, over a period of decades, has tormented the nation and hindered social and economic progress - is getting worse.
Now more than ever before ordinary Jamaicans through the length and breadth of this nation feel unsafe, not just on the streets and as they go about their daily business, but in their homes. Worse, a growing number of Jamaicans no longer believe that the nation's leaders are in charge.
Nor do many Jamaicans any longer believe that their leaders possess the will, capacity or even the credibility required to take charge.
That, as this newspaper has pointed out in this space previously, is the reason that some - such as that much-talked-about group in Mandeville - are contemplating taking the law into their own hands.
Now, as much as at any time in our history, Jamaica needs heroes. Not just those who have made us proud over the last two years at Beijing and Berlin.
We refer not only to those unsung heroes who keep our communities going on a daily basis - those youth club leaders, pensioners, teachers, policemen, health workers, et al who work tirelessly and selflessly with little or no thought of financial returns.
This newspaper believes that now, as much as at any time in history, Jamaica needs heroic leadership at the level of governance. We speak of the kind of leadership that will deal not just in talk but will act decisively in addressing problems, including crime and the economy regardless of the political consequences; the kind of leadership that will arrive at a political consensus on the anti-crime fight no matter what.
We speak of the kind of leadership which, in pursuit of the maintenance of integrity and credibility would, regardless of the political consequences, inform Messrs Kern Spencer and Joseph Hibbert that they need to step away from Parliament. The kind of national leadership intent on doing the right thing, regardless.
Now, as much as at any time in history, Jamaica needs leaders of whom our National Heroes would have been proud.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/edito..._OF_HEROES.asp
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