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Promise us accountability
published: Monday | July 30, 2007
Garth Rattray
ALTHOUGH PEOPLE refer to this time of political campaigning as the innocuous-sounding 'silly season', it is de facto a volatile and dangerous period filled with brashness, braggadocio and grandiose promises (like progress, peace, prosperity, ending corruption, free education and so on). Paradoxically, it's also a season financed by businesspeople that expect future favours in return for 'donations' - which sets us up for the very corruption that they promise to end - silly indeed.
Some speculate that the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) must have spent over $40 million between them on broadcast equipment, trans-porting, fêteing and feeding supporters at their massive rallies. A lot has also been spent on canvassing and advertising. It's silly to dedicate that much money to politicking when so many Jamaicans live in abject poverty. Politicians should demonstrate their accountability to the poor by participating in structured (issues-oriented) debates and raise that sort of money for our underprivileged citizens instead. It would help to alleviate poverty and prevent crime.
Swallowing promises
Another silly aspect of this campaign season is our willingness to listen passively to and sometimes even believe the promises made by campaigning politicians. We should use this opportunity to demand a promise of accountability from them, because, in spite of their celebrity status and bestowed 'power', politicians fall in one of two categories - they are either current or prospective servants of the people.
I am not for or against any particular political party; my only concern is Jamaica. The current administration has made quite a bit of progress and initiated some good programmes, however, governments are placed in power to do just that. There should be no blowing of one's own trumpet] or special praise for doing your job. Unfortunately, the past 18 years also produced an impressive record of probes and scandals with very few consequences. The media has repeatedly enumerated the many incidences that have cost our citizenry an estimated total of $6.320 billion. This is worthy of criticism because we don't want such things repeated by anyone from either the PNP or the JLP.
In light of the paucity of resignations over the years, we are either a very forgiving people or else we are so immersed in party politics that we have failed to demand that the hierarchy take responsibility for wastages, corruption and mismanagement. Both political parties should not only be called upon to promise us accountability, but also to assure that it is all-encompassing.
Penalise politicians
It should, for instance, also apply to instances of political violence and other less serious infractions of the political code of conduct. If Europe could ban English football teams for the sins of their fans, then politicians should be held accountable and penalised in some way whenever their followers flout the law for political gain or intimidation. The political hierarchy should be held accountable to and compensate the victims and the families of those affected by political violence.
If political 'leaders' cannot control their own subordinates, agents, representatives and diehard followers, then they are obviously not fit to lead an entire nation. If our politicians truly cared about us (and not just power), they would demonstrate it by offering to remove themselves from responsible positions whenever debacles and corruptions are discovered. Confirmed instances of corruption, mismanagement and deadly political violence should therefore result in severe reprimand or the resignation of someone from the upper political echelons. Token sacrificial lambs will not suffice. We deserve respect, honour and accountability from our leaders.
Dr. Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice.
published: Monday | July 30, 2007
Garth Rattray
ALTHOUGH PEOPLE refer to this time of political campaigning as the innocuous-sounding 'silly season', it is de facto a volatile and dangerous period filled with brashness, braggadocio and grandiose promises (like progress, peace, prosperity, ending corruption, free education and so on). Paradoxically, it's also a season financed by businesspeople that expect future favours in return for 'donations' - which sets us up for the very corruption that they promise to end - silly indeed.
Some speculate that the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) must have spent over $40 million between them on broadcast equipment, trans-porting, fêteing and feeding supporters at their massive rallies. A lot has also been spent on canvassing and advertising. It's silly to dedicate that much money to politicking when so many Jamaicans live in abject poverty. Politicians should demonstrate their accountability to the poor by participating in structured (issues-oriented) debates and raise that sort of money for our underprivileged citizens instead. It would help to alleviate poverty and prevent crime.
Swallowing promises
Another silly aspect of this campaign season is our willingness to listen passively to and sometimes even believe the promises made by campaigning politicians. We should use this opportunity to demand a promise of accountability from them, because, in spite of their celebrity status and bestowed 'power', politicians fall in one of two categories - they are either current or prospective servants of the people.
I am not for or against any particular political party; my only concern is Jamaica. The current administration has made quite a bit of progress and initiated some good programmes, however, governments are placed in power to do just that. There should be no blowing of one's own trumpet] or special praise for doing your job. Unfortunately, the past 18 years also produced an impressive record of probes and scandals with very few consequences. The media has repeatedly enumerated the many incidences that have cost our citizenry an estimated total of $6.320 billion. This is worthy of criticism because we don't want such things repeated by anyone from either the PNP or the JLP.
In light of the paucity of resignations over the years, we are either a very forgiving people or else we are so immersed in party politics that we have failed to demand that the hierarchy take responsibility for wastages, corruption and mismanagement. Both political parties should not only be called upon to promise us accountability, but also to assure that it is all-encompassing.
Penalise politicians
It should, for instance, also apply to instances of political violence and other less serious infractions of the political code of conduct. If Europe could ban English football teams for the sins of their fans, then politicians should be held accountable and penalised in some way whenever their followers flout the law for political gain or intimidation. The political hierarchy should be held accountable to and compensate the victims and the families of those affected by political violence.
If political 'leaders' cannot control their own subordinates, agents, representatives and diehard followers, then they are obviously not fit to lead an entire nation. If our politicians truly cared about us (and not just power), they would demonstrate it by offering to remove themselves from responsible positions whenever debacles and corruptions are discovered. Confirmed instances of corruption, mismanagement and deadly political violence should therefore result in severe reprimand or the resignation of someone from the upper political echelons. Token sacrificial lambs will not suffice. We deserve respect, honour and accountability from our leaders.
Dr. Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice.
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