Tweet
Edward Seaga: Deification of a demigod
BY URIAH KING
Thursday, June 17, 2010
TOO many Jamaicans have been guilty of the deification of a demigod: none other than Edward Seaga, self-proclaimed polymath. A man who many regard as a savant with the first and the last word on everything. I suspect that he suffers from this delusion and it is his right to have delusions but I do not share them.
His political career is by no means distinguished and, indeed, many are of the conviction that he introduced several undesirable elements to Jamaican politics. Albeit that he was aided and abetted by the most combative elements in the People's National Party. He conceived, built and supervised the ultimate garrison, Tivoli Gardens.
It may have produced some footballers and netballers of note as well as marching bands ubiquitous at government-paid for events. But as recent evidence has confirmed, a lot that was undesirable went on there during the last 40 years.
Tivoli Gardens is not a self-sustaining social construct that can be reproduced and propagated elsewhere in Jamaica. It is artificial because it has never been economically viable, as it is a community where less than five per cent of the people pay rent, electricity or water; a privileged, politically selected group subsidised by government by depriving other needy communities of their fair share of government benefits.
If the police are even half-right, many lived, some of them very well, on resources transferred from the rest of Jamaica by numerous illegal means. Others profited or were helped by organic exports and imports which did not pass through customs.
As a party leader, Seaga "ruled" over those who "sang a Sankey" but was never popular with the rank and file of Jamaicans on a whole. There was respect but never affection. He led the JLP to one victory in a general election when the Jamaican electorate in its wisdom sent Michael Manley and the PNP to the Opposition benches to rid themselves of socialism by rhetoric.
Seaga won one of five general elections he contested with the PNP, as the 1983 snap election was not contested by Manley. He went from the biggest victory in 1980 to the biggest loss in 1989. He was pushed out and replaced by the prodigal son who refused to "bow". He proclaimed Bruce Golding to be unready and unfit to govern: a mantra he still repeats.
Mr Seaga cannot offset the demerits of his tenure in government. As "financial wizard", he doubled the country's external debt in his first two years in office, spending unprecedented largesse from then US President Ronald Reagan. The anti-Cuba posture was worth less cash after the explosion of Maurice Bishop in Grenada and the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.
Such were the financial fundamentals that he had to fashion his own non-IMF path when the Fund would not be intimidated. The crusade of deregulation and privatisation transformed a market economy into a market society in which anything could be bought. After the import binge, Jamaica bauxite revenues were linked to the notorious Marc Rich, and politicians attended the funerals of dons.
Do not blame Seaga for the daily accolades, titles and sinecures he receives. Blame the Jamaican society and try to understand why. Is it a lingering subconscious deference to colour, is it the lack of genuine heroes, is it unconscious acceptance from the continuous exposure in the media over four decades, or is there some intellectual inferiority complex?
We need to come to terms with our acceptance of uncritical canonisation of arrogance and not confuse long tenure with good service.
BY URIAH KING
Thursday, June 17, 2010
TOO many Jamaicans have been guilty of the deification of a demigod: none other than Edward Seaga, self-proclaimed polymath. A man who many regard as a savant with the first and the last word on everything. I suspect that he suffers from this delusion and it is his right to have delusions but I do not share them.
His political career is by no means distinguished and, indeed, many are of the conviction that he introduced several undesirable elements to Jamaican politics. Albeit that he was aided and abetted by the most combative elements in the People's National Party. He conceived, built and supervised the ultimate garrison, Tivoli Gardens.
It may have produced some footballers and netballers of note as well as marching bands ubiquitous at government-paid for events. But as recent evidence has confirmed, a lot that was undesirable went on there during the last 40 years.
Tivoli Gardens is not a self-sustaining social construct that can be reproduced and propagated elsewhere in Jamaica. It is artificial because it has never been economically viable, as it is a community where less than five per cent of the people pay rent, electricity or water; a privileged, politically selected group subsidised by government by depriving other needy communities of their fair share of government benefits.
If the police are even half-right, many lived, some of them very well, on resources transferred from the rest of Jamaica by numerous illegal means. Others profited or were helped by organic exports and imports which did not pass through customs.
As a party leader, Seaga "ruled" over those who "sang a Sankey" but was never popular with the rank and file of Jamaicans on a whole. There was respect but never affection. He led the JLP to one victory in a general election when the Jamaican electorate in its wisdom sent Michael Manley and the PNP to the Opposition benches to rid themselves of socialism by rhetoric.
Seaga won one of five general elections he contested with the PNP, as the 1983 snap election was not contested by Manley. He went from the biggest victory in 1980 to the biggest loss in 1989. He was pushed out and replaced by the prodigal son who refused to "bow". He proclaimed Bruce Golding to be unready and unfit to govern: a mantra he still repeats.
Mr Seaga cannot offset the demerits of his tenure in government. As "financial wizard", he doubled the country's external debt in his first two years in office, spending unprecedented largesse from then US President Ronald Reagan. The anti-Cuba posture was worth less cash after the explosion of Maurice Bishop in Grenada and the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.
Such were the financial fundamentals that he had to fashion his own non-IMF path when the Fund would not be intimidated. The crusade of deregulation and privatisation transformed a market economy into a market society in which anything could be bought. After the import binge, Jamaica bauxite revenues were linked to the notorious Marc Rich, and politicians attended the funerals of dons.
Do not blame Seaga for the daily accolades, titles and sinecures he receives. Blame the Jamaican society and try to understand why. Is it a lingering subconscious deference to colour, is it the lack of genuine heroes, is it unconscious acceptance from the continuous exposure in the media over four decades, or is there some intellectual inferiority complex?
We need to come to terms with our acceptance of uncritical canonisation of arrogance and not confuse long tenure with good service.
Comment