Garth Rattray

Feedback to my columns only came by published newspaper articles or word of mouth until a colleague recommended that I include an email address. This has turned out to be very enlightening.

I receive about 80 emails monthly from people providing commendations, comments, advice or criticisms. The topic that generates the most response is politics.

Comments are usually torrential and overly emotional.

I always declare my non-alignment to any political party, yet, if I criticise one, I'm accused of being a supporter of the other.

People's boundless passion for politics sometimes leads them to pass derogatory remarks. Some spew caustic venom (metaphorically speaking) and others question my mental status at the mere hint of a disagreement with 'their party'.

On the positive side, even when they hold an opposing view, some extremely knowledgeable and intelligent people email me to give advice and share their opinions.

One such reader disagreed with me on the West Portland constituency dual citizenship case of Abraham Dabdoub vs Daryl Vaz and others. In my recent article, 'The politics of no change'.

Shocked

I confessed that I was shocked at the ruling handed down. Originally, I was convinced that Member of Parliament Vaz was unchallengeable since he took no verbal oath of allegiance to the United States. However, he renewed and used his US passport and that constituted 'acknowledgement of allegiance'.

Since Mr Dabdoub widely circulated copies of a 'Notice of Disqualification' before the contest, it seemed obvious that Vaz was disqualified and that Dabdoub should have been declared the winner. Although I still find it arguable, I now accept that the court took several things into consideration and ruled that the Notice of Disquali-fication (though well-distributed in a timely manner), by itself, didn't establish ineligibility. Since Vaz's disqualification wasn't properly established until after the elections, Chief Justice Zaila McCalla sought to preserve the will of the voters. However, rulings are not sacrosanct - hence the Appellate Court.

Untapped talent

Obviously, there's a vast untapped reservoir of intellectual talent here in Jamaica and they need a forum to contribute meaningfully to our society. Potentially beneficial ideas are being lost because of politics.

Many worthwhile contributors don't make their opinions public out of fear (of unfair accusations, false labelling and being blacklisted). Every day Jamaicans are therefore denied the opportunity to learn and to see things from an elevated perspective.

Biased responses to that article reminded me that many Jamaicans are 'blinkered' by politics. People emailed me claiming to know the innermost thoughts of our politicians. Several (supposedly sensible) readers view them as noble people who never harbour any desire to acquire or hold on to power, only care about the well-being of our citizens and have absolutely no political or personal agenda whatsoever!

In spite of this opening statement, "I have no preference for any political party", a few went way out of bounds and told me that I want to see the People's National Party regain power. Everyone ignored my suggestion that the PNP had dual citizenship problems of their own and my assertion that Bert Samuels was right about negotiated by-elections. The prevailing impression I got was that the threat of a general election (and all it entails) doesn't bother the politicised among us. Few entertained an alternative resolution.

Not enough citizens are vociferous on issues of crime, poverty, suffering and injustice yet, because of politics (the very thing that has cost us so much for so long), they email me rabid comments. People are 'funny' about politics in a very sad way indeed.