Lambert Brown, Contributor

A certain political leader, while addressing a public political meeting in a rural area, is alleged to have promised to build a bridge in the district if they voted for his party. The people were amazed at this offer since there was no need for a bridge in the area. They shouted back at the politician that there was no river in the area. The politician, overflowing with generosity, quickly responded that he would provide the river too.

This is but one of the political jokes about politicians that I grew up hearing. It is clear that fanciful promises have long been part of our political landscape. It is also one of the reasons why our people are so sceptical of politicians. The people know that over the years, our political parties have attempted to fool them with promises. It is Bob Dole, a former American presidential candidate, who is credited with saying that the mark of a good politician is the ability to recognise that the electorate have short memories.

Bob Dole never succeeded to the presidency, despite being a good politician by his own measurement. Those Jamaican politicians who think like Bob Dole are misreading the electorate. They are failing to recognise that people's memory can be refreshed. This is the age of the Internet. Not only do we have the possibility of instant recall, but we also have a proliferation of competitive media houses willing to carry stories that can derail 'promising politicians' (pun intended).

Election season

Here in Jamaica, we are definitely into the election season. Promises are being made left, right and centre by the political parties. Today, I want to examine two of the promises, namely free health care in public hospitals and clinics, and free tuition for students in secondary schools.

There was a time when the Jamaican people enjoyed these benefits. Then, it was not promises, but a reality. A pertinent question that needs to be asked of those making the promises is, why are they not today's reality? I supported these benefits to the people in the past and watched with grief when they were 'turned back' in the decade of the '80s in the name of 'balancing the books'. Then, 'it took cash to care'. Then, the citizens had to engage in the practice of 'cost sharing' with the introduction of hospital fees and the abolition of free tuition. The introduction of the 'University cess' - abolishing free tuition at tertiary level for thousands of bright young Jamaicans - also took place during that period. Many of the people now making these promises were the architects of depriving the Jamaican people of gains made under the Manley regime of 1972 -1980. Now, parents have to see their children not making it to university or undertake enormous debt, if their ambition of a university education is to be realised.

It is, therefore, against the background of recent history that I am so unbelieving in the promises of the Opposition, that they stand for free tuition and free public health care in government hospitals and other health facilities.

I recall with approval the 1970's photograph of former Education Minister Edwin Allen (JLP) walking across the floor of Parliament to shake the hand of then Prime Minister Michael Manley, when he announced free education in secondary schools. That was a bold act of bi-partisanship on the part of 'Teacher Allen'. Instead of supporting the historic initiative that broadened the educational opportunities for the ordinary people, a vigorous campaign was launched to turn back the gains of the Jamaican people. We were told that the country couldn't afford it and some people felt it was a way of introducing communism to Jamaica. In fact, the bigger concern to some people was that the children of their maids and gardeners would end up in the same classroom at school as their own children. No doubt, they feared the reality that the children of the 'servants' with this new opportunity would one day reverse the social roles.

Today, I count on the Opposition benches in Parliament at least 12 current Members of Parliament who 'were there' when free tuition and free health care were abolished by the government that they served or supported between 1980 and 1989. How then can I, or the majority of Jamaicans, honestly give any support to such promises by Mr. Golding and his team when they are in a big way the reason why today our people are not enjoying the promises they now make?

We need to take partisan politics out of education and health. The PNP has also made its share of promises, in respect to education, that it has failed to honour. However, history may be less harsh on a party that has boldly taken steps to genuinely advance the enlightenment of our people via the establishment of Common Entrance (nowGSAT), JAMAL, free tuition at secondary and tertiary levels, as well as undertaking the massive effort of transforming our education system.

Rather than lies, wild promises and one-up-manship, a collaborative approach is needed to ensure that our education system meets the challenges of a competitive and global world where knowledge is the critical criterion for survival and success. The truth is, we are too far behind where we need to be at this time, in terms of the education level of our people. Let us dedicate available resources to tackling the real problems rather than promising bridges where there are no rivers. Let us ensure that no child is turned away from school because of non-payment of fees, contrary to the policy of the government at this time.

Critical of the Government and Opposition

As we go forward toward the election, we must be critical of the things Government and Opposition say and do. We must ask how promises will be funded and when they will be implemented. This is the way to make the politicians truly accountable to us. After all, they are our servants, not our masters. The Government's promise of abolishing fees for children up to age 18 must be assessed along these lines too. Fortunately, there will be no election before May 28 and so we can judge whether the deeds and words of Mrs. Simpson Miller's government are one and the same. By their deeds we must judge our leaders. I will support those whose words and deeds I can trust and be severely critical of those who are just playing 'politricks'. I can do this without being a member of any of the parties. I choose to be influenced by the characteristics of sincerity, credibility, trust and honesty.

Lambert Brown is president of the University and Allied Workers' Union, and can be contacted at Labpoyh@yahoo.com.