Different cultures hold their leaders to different standards. In Britain and the USA, for example, a politician caught in an extramarital affair is said to be caught up in a 'sex scandal' and would be required to resign. In Jamaica, politicians and public officials similarly exposed are lionised for their prowess, and their reputations may even be enhanced. Is there any such thing as a 'sex scandal' in Jamaica? Maybe if someone is found not to be having sex - being celibate!

In the private sector, the very idea of a business executive being dismissed for having a sexual affair with another employee of the company is a foreign idea. This would not be well understood by most Jamaicans brought up in a culture with a history of masters asserting sexual rights over their slaves, and of women (not always of the underclass) seeking personal advancement through the offering of sexual favours.

As Jamaica seeks progress through 'economic development' and 'modernisation' we are ignoring the fact that there is a moral development that must take place at the same time. 'Structural adjustment' and 'sustainable development' must be accompanied by 'moral adjustment', otherwise gains on the economic level will not be sustainable.

Confidence and character

Why is it that in these more advanced countries their leaders are held to a high moral standard in their personal lives? Is it a matter of prudishness? Hardly!

It has to do with confidence, with character. Whether it is in private-sector management or public-sector management, leaders must be known to be persons capable of stable family relationships. Persons who have extramarital affairs are persons who break their marriage vows, are persons who cut corners, are persons who cheat. Persons who are prepared to cheat on their wives (or their husbands) are likely to be prepared to cheat in business deals, and to enrich themselves secretly through public contracts and cheat when it comes to matters of public governance. In more morally advanced countries, the public is sensitive about these matters; persons who cheat on their spouses are considered unfit for public office or to hold private sector positions of trust because they have shown themselves to be untrustworthy. We are not yet that morally advanced in Jamaica.

We have not expected much of our leaders. We have not required politicians who have created garrison constituencies, and all the thuggery that is involved, to resign. We knew about the stuffing of ballot boxes and other forms of electoral corruption, but no one has been called to account for it. On the contrary, to some of the above we have awarded national honours. We seek the economic development of a modern industrial economy with moral underpinnings which hark back to the days of slavery.

Public officials seem to lack shame

Are we ever going to have moral probity in public life in Jamaica without requiring honesty from our public officials in their public and private lives? I think they go together. Public officials in Jamaica do not often resign, even when they are embroiled in public scandals. They personally seem to have no shame, and the political parties to which they belong seem to have even less. When we detect some shame from our politicians about our sorry political history we will know we are getting somewhere.

The only sector in Jamaica where a high standard of sexual conduct among the leadership is rigidly enforced by the public is the church sector. Ministers of religion who fool around with women - young or old - who are not their wives, are harshly treated because they are guilty of two breaches of trust: breaking their marriage vows, and hypocrisy - preaching one thing and doing another. Roman Catholic priests who take a vow of celibacy are guilty of breaching that vow, which is just as serious as the marriage vow. Ministers of religion who are guilty of paedophilia are guilty of a third breach of trust: taking advantage of vulnerable persons placed in their care for their safety. There really is no excuse for this sort of behaviour and, if detected, the matter should be pursued in the courts.

Let us pursue national development by holding ourselves and those who serve us accountable to higher moral standards. We will never become a First World country without a first-rate set of personal and national values.

Peter Espeut is a sociologist and a Roman Catholic deacon. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.