Unless someone has been off the island with no access to our local electronic media, there is no way they could have missed or not had an opinion about the Gully-Gaza meeting that was recently held with our esteemed prime minister and other parliamentarians. Now, while I hate to be the one to play into the Gully-Gaza marketing strategy (which, I am sure, if you look closely you'll see that that is all it really is) I must bring it up to draw a very important and interesting parallel that I'm sure everyone is missing.

Let's go back a few years to when both artistes came on the scene, each trying to outdo the other with the level of violent and scandalous material that they could produce. Many people embraced them for various reasons, whether their music loosened our ties after a long day at work, whether we were long-standing fans of the dancehall culture, whether we were living the life to which they were alluding in their songs, or whether we had not yet formed personalities (yes, teens, this means you) and were looking for whatever seems hot at the time. Even those people who became their biggest critics were all waiting to see the drama unfold while one by one, song after song was released.

scandalous behaviour

Now, does this remind you of anything? No? Well, let's fast-forward to the present. We have two political parties that are at least partly responsible for the poor state of the country that we live in. Both slander the other and take turns in and out of power. Lately, however (in the last five years or so), there have been more and more scandals coming to the fore.

Since the prime minister and his colleagues can meet with these two artistes to scrutinise and attempt to put an end to their scandalous behaviour, why can't we meet with them to put an end to their scandalous behaviour as well?

serious question

Now, I know it sounds ridiculous at first glance but it is a very serious question. We cast a ballot every half of a decade and we buckle up and go along for the ride. Why can't these political stints be punctuated by referenda on major policy changes and public meetings, where the politicians are outfitted not with green or orange but with real answers to our real questions? Even if the answers shock and disappoint us, we deserve to hear them. It is time to consider these things because, frankly, sitting idly by and watching the country poorly run is as bad as, or worse, than actively destroying it.

Am I suggesting constitutional reform? At the risk of having my voice fall into the pool of the others who have said this before me, I have to say yes. In case I am actually heard, Jamaica, it is time to ask ourselves some serious questions. Is music more important than politics? Is it all right for our politicians to lack accountability? Is it right to have a double standard on what to expect from our public figures? Our country is what we make it, let's make it something better.

I am, etc.,

MARSHA

mmrj_business@yahoo.co.uk