Peter EspeutIT WAS Ronald Thwaites who used this term to describe Danny Melville during the hot election campaign of 1997. The "conscious", I suppose, was to offset the 'white', not currently politically correct in the PNP. He has been proven correct!
The word "conscious" is a term from the 1960s, used to describe a person aware of himself and his context, particularly with respect to other terms from the 1960s: oppression (or 'downpression' in Rasta usage) and liberation. A person was "conscious" if he was aware of how the 'system' manipulated him, promoting some and holding back others. There was no greater compliment which an oppressed black person could pay to a member of the white or brown middle or upper classes than to call them "conscious".
Danny Melville entered politics to make a difference, to try to change the system from within. Not only did he fail to do so, but he came to realise that "one conscious white bwoy" could not, because the negative forces are lined up.
In his letter of resignation, "Corruption and corporate crime have invaded our society to the extent that honest businessmen have become an endangered species. I do not accept that the reduction of crime at every level is, in fact, a national priority".
His admission of defeat is an indictment of both politicians and the private sector.
I have been emphasising over the last few years in this column, the connection between dirty politics and the private sector who provide the funding, in return for economic favours: often land, contracts and licenses to do particular restricted but lucrative types of business. It has been 'open season' on corrupt politicians for sometime now, but in fairness and justice, the spotlight needs also to shine on the members of the Jamaican business community.
Danny Melville is an honest man, and a man of principle. In his resignation statement he says, "I find I can no longer be a part of a system that glorifies mediocrity and denigrates any vision of excellence. Now that I have been part of our present system, whereby politics reigns supreme over all other considerations, it is clear to me that it is a system that cannot deliver success. I began in 1997 with hope. And sadly I have ended with disillusionment."
Until there is public admission that we have a problem with corruption, and until there is a clear commitment to doing away with it, political corruption and corporate crime will be part of the fabric of Jamaican society.
I congratulate Danny Melville on the brave stand he has taken.
Peter Espeut is a sociologist and executive director of an environment and development NGO.
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