THE FOLLOWING 'story' may sound like a fairytale but it's good depiction of what happens in an island that we will call Fantasy Land, which exists in the Caribbean.
The state of governance in Fantasy Land is horrendous, with the country hocked to its neck in internal and external debt, trying to curb a serious homicide rate, suffering from low economic growth, frequent fiscal deficits, and double-digit inflation (of the official kind, as the real rate is much higher). Despite all of this, there are major battles going on to take up the mantle of maximum leader (head-honcho), with each candidate suggesting that with them at the helm, things in the country will make a dramatic upward change in political and economic fortunes. Myth or reality?
The next tale concerns the case of millions in foreign currency, plus some sizeable amounts in Jamaican dollars, found in the palatial homes of those raided by the police. Unfortunately, such sums are never found or left with children's homes, AIDS hospices and other places in dire need, but only with fellows of dubious character. Myth or reality in Fantasy Land?
It is also a country where it is clear that certain fellows are living above their legal means (if one follows their consumption pattern and look at their myriad of assets) but we are told that it is not because they have their fingers in every crooked pie in this country (from drug-dealing to arms-dealing to bribery), but because they are hard-working businessmen, who have been blessed with good fortune.
Furthermore, according to their well-paid lawyers, they are also past choir boys, who also sponsor community charities, send children (not their own) to school, and are well-loved in their communities of operation. It is therefore understandable why some communities (heavily affected by violence) demonstrate whenever such conscientious individuals are killed, since they are so innocent. Myth or reality?
MATERIAL COMFORT
It is also a country where too many of our youngsters don't study, or as sportsmen, practise frequently, but expect to do well in exams or perform well on the sporting fields. They therefore expect to earn high salaries that can ensure a significant material comfort (cars, houses, bling, etc.), after just two years of leaving their last educational institution, or on becoming a semi-professional, whereupon they can then retire, having shown great potential, but never having fulfilled their promise. Myth or reality in Fantasy Land?
It is also a land where many people go to work late, take very long lunches (some for three hours), absent themselves often from work, and then complain about low productivity levels in the country, backed by the frequent public holidays that are given in Fantasy land.
It is also a place where policemen complain of low salaries and horrible working conditions, but will actively fight any early dismissal from the force (if retired in the public interest), not wanting to leave. After all, where else can you get desired posts doing traffic duty, or be assigned to the DEA, or even be assigned to lucrative rural posts like Ocho Rios and Port Antonio or parts of Westmoreland. Myth or reality?
It is also a place where endless number of words of the clothing material variety can be told by policemen to fish-sellers, but only dee-jays get jailed after stage shows for cursing or those persons unfortunate enough to get involved in street confrontations with policemen.
It is also a land where morality is trumpeted as something special, but 60 per cent of birth certificates don't have the names of the children's fathers on them, proving that immaculate conception still occurs in this land, even if nowhere else on the planet.
It's a place which is reputed to have the most churches per square mile, but also the most bars per square mile. It is a place where leaders disregard laws regarding punctuality in asset declaration, but have much to say about honesty.
This country may or may not exist, but I would think that we all have an individual duty to ensure that Fantasy Land does not really exist by the end of 2006.
