Errol Hewitt, Contributor
Hewitt
"The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me, 'He who ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God'." 2 Samuel 23:3
The election is over, but was it really expressive of our considered decision, or were we just mindlessly wafted along by clever marketing enhanced by spin, colour and pantomime? Even if we were impressed with the manifesto of the winning party, how much of it will be implemented? Was this just part of the mirage beamed to us to seduce our vote which then fades from sight when we reach for it?
Our new Prime Minister gave an excellent, statesmanlike, unifying speech on election night which should be a great theme for his administration. In that speech Mr. Golding said "the time has come for constructive engagement among the political forces of the country." Good governance is the responsibility of a government which is centred in and includes both sides of Parliament; it requires a knowledgeable and genuinely participatory Opposition. In this post-election atmosphere of rebuilding, good governance calls for resolving, foundationally, the current 'constitutional' issue in parliament before considering the courts.
Governance speaks of how governments create a framework of plans and strategies, and through policies and proper management, facilitates real development and the full potential of its people. It's about how government in exercising its power, utilises the nation's history, traditions and institutions in the citizens' interest. At the core of good governance must be an entrenched theme of justice [in the broadest sense] for all and leaders of genuine moral character with a commitment to transparency of actions and an unswerving focus on service to the citizens.
It's about not just a better standard of living [own home, washing machine, etc.] for all Jamaicans but also about a better quality of life for all [justice in the courts, rewarding merit over 'connections' etc.]. The proper application of good governance creates a partnership of all for nation building and removes the tyres of government from off our backs and onto the road to development.
The truth is that despite some gains most Jamaicans still live under crushing hardship with increasing despair, particularly among young people and women who are the largest groups of the unemployed, as well as among the elderly - some on the insufficiency of a fixed income and most unable to cope with the enormity of the increasing expense of staying alive. All this in the midst of a polarised society consistently crafted into and maintained as two contending tribes.
anger and frustration
There is also a sense of anger and frustration among most Jamaicans about the fact that most of the countries around us are experiencing higher levels of growth and development than our own country, aggravated by the fact that we are better equipped than many, yet unable to achieve our real potential.
Locksley Lindo in his 'Jamaica Betrayed' [required reading for parliamentarians] looks at our past experiences and makes a strong, reasoned case that our experience of governance has been far from acceptable - in fact, disappointing, and more so since we could have done far better. And in the midst of this 'underperformance' are our discouraged youth in the inner city pleading for the genuine opportunity to make something positive of their lives.
Of course, education and training are investments with the highest multiplier effect in terms of beneficial outcomes and financial returns, but for it to really make a difference, it has to be made far more accessible and affordable as well as being realistically applicable to our determined socio-economic path forward in order to really maximise individual opportunities.
LAW AND ORDER
Law and order is the first priority of good governance, and is one of the most important factors which help to maintain the society within a properly secure and predictable framework equally applicable to all. In our circumstance, with an underground economy, the prevalence of violence and guns, community dons and donnettes and the inherent drug trade, ineffectivelaw and order leads inevitably to chaos. The strength of our social and economic institutions depends significantly on the effective application of law and order.
For example, in almost every instance, the victims of the lapses and insufficiencies of law and order have, inevitably, been members of families. We have seen families, the basic socialising unit, being geographically separated with resulting psychological scars for generations.
In respect of the economy, the fragile tourism industry [the 'flagship' of the economy], for example, is in a very tenuous situation in a country known internationally for the high incidence of crime and violence and therefore has to rely heavily on the effectiveness of law and order. Failure by the new government to deal effectively with the insidious problem of the inadequacies of law and order will continue to seriously undermine the nation's socio-economic development and psychologically disfigure our people.
CORRUPTION
A serious criminal affront to every citizen, and our country as a whole, is corruption in general but particularly so in government. It feeds on taxpayers' hard-earned money, is highly corrosive, and unchecked it spreads rapidly in every direction. It steals from each citizen; it is a debilitating, parasitic plague which, being infectious, erodes the moral, social and economic life of the country. Given the prevalence of corruption here, Jamaica is rated 16th out of 18 countries in the region.
good governance
A fundamental aim of good governance is the pride instilled in its citizens in being a Jamaican. We all feel pride in the accomplishment of our champions in sports, etc., but those are peaks in our experience. It is the day-to-day quality of life that convinces of their status in their own country - the day-to-day interaction with the security forces, the justice system, the agencies of government, as well as the standard of the political representation and the general assurance that every citizen is important and has safeguarded rights, which are crucial ingredients in enhancing the quality of life.
Regrettably, however, these are factors which are daily complained about and evidence the lack of government's consistent concern for the things that enhance the citizens' lives. For example, with all the new hotel rooms and housing schemes being proposed, are there sufficient electricity and potable water for us all? Or do we need occasionally to switch from 'Peter' to satisfy 'Paul'?
Social psychologists, etc., have long attested to the crucial importance of social amenities to the physical and mental health of citizens, such as, for example, parks, playing fields, etc., which have especial significance to both young and old. So often we have seen the degradation of facilities which engender the overall health of our people spurned by an unappreciative government.
Until recently, the Royal Botanic Gardens [Hope], Bath in St. Thomas, and so many other national assets, have been spurned by an apathetic government. The original George VI Park, now National Heroes Park, was once a buzz of public activities. Here was a cricket field for Matcham schoolboy teams; a cycling track; a centre for kite flying, a place for public entertainment where artistes like Paul Robeson, Ella Fitzgerald and Marianne Anderson, etc., once performed. Today, apart from the burial site for past prime ministers, much of this [still] National Park is just the spreading car park for the Ministry of Finance. How valuable such a facility could be today to our downtown communities and beyond!
The social and psychological well-being of our people, particularly where our historic roots and sites can enhance this, have largely been neglected by succeeding governments. We continue to yearn for a government that is not just two-dimensional [photo opportunities and very short-term project successes] but has a sense of history to add depth and long-term solutions to its thinking and understanding of the needs of its citizens. After all, that is what good governance is about
Errol Hewitt is an information and communication technology planning consultant with the United Nations and the Commonwealth Secretariat. He may be contacted at estahewitt@yahoo.com.
