I just love standing in line. Whether it involves paying bills, doing banking business or attending a function, standing in line has become one of my favourite pastimes. While they wait in line sometimes people amuse each other, but more often than not this is where people give vent to their pent-up feelings. It is also where one can gain knowledge. Interesting bits of information are passed out in the line.

There was a time when politics was not discussed by people in the line, not because people were not interested but I guess because they did not want to offend anyone. Guided less by loyalty to partisan politics, these days people are no longer afraid to castigate politicians, the tone of the conversation has generally been dismissive of all politicians. There is at this time in Jamaica a depressingly low level of trust in politicians and the political process.

People are expressing the view that politicians are irrelevant to the democratic process. More and more people are becoming disconnected from politics. It used to be the youth who were turned off but now older people are the ones who are disenchanted. It's not that the youth are not interested in politics, of course, they care about the economy and education and the environment. It's the politicians that they do not trust because they have failed to represent their concerns.

Latest happenings

With more access to information, people are these days attuned to the latest happenings and so they come to the line prepared to air their own views on the hot topics of the day. Recently, a man who appeared to be in his early 40s went into full flight in the line. He said he had voted consistently since he was 18, but he was so disappointed with the direction of the country and he would never vote again. "I wasted my vote last time," he declared. He added: "The man promise constitutional reform, you see him do anything yet?" He referred to other broken promises and said he felt cheated. An elderly man nodded in agreement as he looked down at his feet.

The financial crisis and the heightened criminal activity have increased people's desire for better political leadership. People are concerned about their personal safety. They are concerned about government efficiency or lack of it. They have little confidence in the judicial system and they are disappointed that politicians do not feel personally responsible that they have hampered the country's progress with their misguided policies. Add a culture of corruption, unemployment, drugs. One wonders, where is the messiah to lead Jamaica out of this wicked valley?

Touching on the recent contract of the former central bank governor, one well-spoken man in the line wanted to know whether the former finance minister would have negotiated such an employment contract were he using his own money. That question provided a lead in for another man who added that he didn't believe the tourism minister would have bought a $77,000 chair for his own office.

Whose interest?

So as one woman asked: Whose interest is the politician serving? She noted that politicians were not accessible to their constituents so they can't possibly know what their needs are. And they are only seen at election time.

In the telling of Jamaican history the record keepers will be hard pressed to explain how we got from where we were to where we are. I believe part of the problem lies in partisanship that has been the hallmark of our politics. Party A can do no wrong and Party B can do no right. Opposition and governor cannot come together to solve the country's problems because the ruling party would gain mileage and maybe an electoral victory. So the Opposition will sit back and applaud each downgrade from rating agencies, even the obscure ones, and it doesn't matter that it is Jamaica that suffers. Politics has to be about serving the people.

I feel the time has come for all our politicians to do some soul-searching. Join one of these lines like I do so often and hear for yourselves what the people are saying. The apathy that runs so deep among so many people could transform to something much worse.

Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist. Send comments to columns@gleanerjm.com