Victor J.N. Cummings, Contributor

Cummings

Jamaica is facing a crisis of governance. The entire system is in need of transformation. My intention here is first to demonstrate the need for a new approach to our political culture; second, to show that real transformation must begin with self; and third, to show that as leaders, we must transform the political system by fostering a culture of excellence.

When we speak of a system of governance, we need to be clear on a few points. Governance is not government. Governance as a concept recognises that power exists both inside and outside the formal authority and institutions of government. It recognises that decisions are made based on complex relationships between many actors with different priorities. It is the reconciliation of these competing priorities that is at the heart of the concept of governance.

Culture of dependency

Our people should assume responsibility for themselves and be less dependent on government. - File

In Jamaica today, our system of governance is severely lacking for a variety of reasons, some historical, some economic, and some societal. One of the most destructive elements of our political culture is one to which we have all contributed creating.

In Jamaica, we have fostered a culture of dependency which is slowly tearing away at the social, economic and moral fibre of our country. One does not need to explain the connection between poor governance and this culture of dependency except to say that the two are inextricably intertwined. And so to confront and challenge one, we must confront and challenge both.

The first step, therefore, in transforming our system of governance and by extension the nature of our politics, is for each citizen to transform his/her politics of self. In other words, we need to redefine who we are for ourselves, take individual responsibility for our lives, and recognise the real power each of us has when we achieve this new level of self-respect and integrity. Thoughtless morality, petty self-interests, nepotism, tribalism, and knee-jerk responses are some of the offensive traits of some of our citizens and public officials.

But let us not forget the biggest one: listening to and spreading suss. In Jamaica, we have a form of trial by suss. You are tried and of course convicted and sentenced, even before you know that there are charges against you. These traits attack individual freedom in the spiritual, social, and material sense. When these traits become a part of one's make-up, they become strings to a common cause or beliefs that benefit the system, regardless of whether true or not.

To really win a place for one's self in the world requires one to transform one's nature, or sense of self. This means each of us, to be free and responsible, must wage a war within ourselves - a 'spiritual revolution'. This revolution is internal and not observed by others, who can only witness the incremental external changes in one's personality as smaller battles are won, leading to the complete psychic transformation of the individual over time. The end result is a higher consciousness, a victory motivated by the desire for a sacred or cosmic sensibility, a desire to be of service, to make a difference.

Spiritual revolution

This spiritual revolution is very difficult because childish illusions, assumptions and egotistical habits die hard, revealing the intense energy that went into forming them. What makes matters worse is that by middle age, most of us are fully entrenched in our prejudices and politics, especially if we are successful and believe we have found the ticket to the good life.

A great deal of anger, cynicism, and passion for change is gripping the souls of many Jamaicans who have been politically dormant, with a concurrent amount of fear and anxiety among those with political power. The reaction of some in leadership positions is the hardening of their most cherished convictions and morality, resulting in a period of intolerance and fanaticism. They find it necessary to emphasise their old beliefs more than ever because they perceive them to be in jeopardy.

The question to ask is how does all of this relate to the political system we have in Jamaica today? The result is a country caught up in petty personal politics, nepotism, thoughtless morality, tribalism, reactionary jingoism, and suss that only serve to keep reactionaries in positions of leadership.

A majority of our citizens have failed to seize responsibility for their freedom by looking within themselves, by really seeing the people they love and asking what it is they really care about, and then making sure their leaders represent their interests, or are fired. This seizing of personal responsibility by a growing number of people will not bring about instant change in our country, but incremental improvements, that over time, will be recognised when individuals realise that they are doing much better than before, thanks in large part to an enhanced sense of community.

What can I do? That is the question we all must ask ourselves. Those of us who have been lucky cannot afford to rest on our laurels; we must work even harder; we must set our sights ever higher. Our country, our heritage, our children's future require it; our mission, our goal in life demands it.

For our National Heroes and founders, the question of 'What can I do?' constantly haunted them. They were change agents, who decided that regardless of the consequences, they had to do something. As change agents, they must be revered for their wisdom, emulated for their vision, and sanctified for their sacrifices. They are our heroes and founders who gave their lives for the immutable principles that are embodied in our democracy. They are the charter members in the pantheon of greatness that serves as the foundation of our society.

Image of public officials

These heroes and founders never took the honour of service for granted and those of us who have chosen to serve must follow their example. We, as public servants, must dedicate ourselves to setting and achieving greater goals; not to mark time, but to make real progress, to achieve meaningful results, and to leave a record of excellence. One must strive for excellence in all things one does, especially in government.

The Jamaican people should not expect government to do everything. However, when it comes to those functions which are inherently governmental in nature, Jamaicans must have the confidence that their leaders will serve them and will serve them well. If we want excellence in government, we must look at how the system can be transformed to recruit, retain, and motivate the best and the brightest people to serve.

The place to begin is by raising the image of the public official - recreating the view that public service is a worthwhile avenue for young people to aspire to. The second step is to create a genuine performance culture within the system so that the valuable talent that chooses public service is used to produce results for the Jamaican people. This is what our citizens deserve.

Creating a culture of performance means attaching a new seriousness and rigour to evaluation and accountability. Our appraisal system must become a vehicle for recog-nising, measuring, and rewarding excellence - all based on performance.

Central to all of this is recognising and rewarding excellence. This is the area in which our system and culture has failed. We must use performance as the basis for rewarding outstanding achievers based on results and to deal appropriately with those who are not measuring up; a merit system that makes it clear that performance should matter. In other words, connections should not be more important than performance and results. Here is where the true test of leadership comes in. Setting goals for our society is of little use without leadership to inspire and guide the mission to meet the goals. That is about as effective as a multi-million dollar SUV without a gas pedal and steering wheel. It looks great, has the power, but goes nowhere.

Excellence in our system - the pedal and steering wheel to move Jamaica in the direction that serves the best interests of all - begins with leadership committed to steadfast and credible principles. Excellence requires a transformation of our system, a commitment by public servants to be more than mere managers. We must become leaders, change agents, leaders of vision, leaders of principles, and leaders of moral courage.

Unfair criticism

As leaders, we must hold on to our principles despite unfair criticism; we must also be confident enough in our leadership to give credit for success where credit is due; we must reward merit when shown. Excellence requires leaders who are willing to make the difficult decisions, not the politically expedient ones; leaders who are compassionate and who understand that compassion is not just about connections but it's about the results we achieve in the effect our decisions have on our society.

Jamaica needs leaders of high ethical standards; leaders who respect others both up and down the line; and most important, we need leaders who hold themselves accountable. Responsibility and accountability are inextricably interwoven. Our leadership philosophy should be summed up in three words: " I am accountable."

Victor Cummings is a former Member of Parliament for Central Kingston.