There can be no doubt that Jamaica now faces serious economic and social difficulties. There is a massive shortfall in our capacity to earn foreign exchange. At the same time, our import bill continues to gallop way ahead of our export. The country is facing a major crisis.

The Government is contemplating resuming a borrowing relation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). With or without the IMF, more hard times await our people. For us to navigate these difficult times successfully, we need national unity. For us to be able to lay a firm foundation to ensure that we emerge from this crisis stronger rather than weaker, we need national unity.

As much as this unity is the essential ingredient in moving Jamaica forward, it is likely to become elusive. This is because some of our leaders are driven more by the desire to retain or gain political power, than by securing the best interests of the nation. Arrogance, selfishness and contempt for the people's intelligence are some of the roadblocks preventing the realisation of this desired national unity.

Some of you may recall the calypso Take You Meat, Out of Mi Rice. It tells the story of a 'Trini' and a 'Bajie' who decide jointly to contribute to the cooking of a one-pot meal. The Trinidadian would contribute the meat, and the Barbadian would contribute the rice. When the cooking was well advanced and the rice of the Bajie had benefited immensely from the stew of the meat, he demanded that the Trini 'take yuh meat out of mi rice'. Value added to the rice; value lost to the meat.

The song revealed that this opportunistic approach to relationships, led to the threat of a fight. Like a good memory gem, I have retained the moral lesson from that classic calypso. Be guided by sound principles, avoid expediency, be honest in your relations, are some of the lessons which have stuck with me from the first time I heard that song.

unity

The desire to gain temporary advantage over long-term principled relationships is something to be always shunned. As I travel around Jamaica, I am getting the feeling that many Jamaicans are feeling that the Government is telling them to take their meat out of the rice. This is affecting our ability as a nation to come together in unity to confront and overcome this major economic crisis rocking our beloved country.

The Government of the day has the responsibility to lead us in this quest for national unity. Unfortunately, the Government is acting like the 'Bajie'. When it suited the Government, it signed an MOU with public-sector workers, enjoying the benefit of wage restraint. When it was time for the workers to get their salary increase, the Government disavowed its responsibility under the MOU. Not even a formal letter was sent to the trade unions asking the unions to postpone or waive the Government liability to the thousands of public-sector workers. In fact, the prime minister is on record as inviting the unions to take their "pound of flesh, but not a drop of blood".

This is arrogance of the highest level, and is certainly not conducive to national unity. It is, therefore, not surprising that some union leaders have walked away from any further participation in the necessary social-partnership negotiations. The words and deeds of the Government need to foster unity instead of division. Speaking at a political meeting in North East St Catherine last Sunday night, the prime minister spoke of the need to "shut up" the Opposition. How do we get unity if the objective is not just to win a seat, but to "shut up" the Opposition?

Somebody needs to tell the prime minister that his choice of words is divisive and will impede the attainment of national unity, which is in the best interests of Jamaica. He needs to learn a thing or two from Barack Obama, that as head of government, he has a duty to be inclusive, respectful and become an agent of unity.

The prime minister must resist the temptation to wallow in the murky waters of divisiveness. Telling a political rally that he has a 'big plunger' to flush out public-sector workers who are sabotaging Gregory Mair, is unworthy of our chief servant. There was no evidence provided to prove sabotage on the part of any public servant, but some public-sector workers are being set up to be treated like waste. Maybe the People's National Party has forgiven the prime minister for the termite-eating-out-their-brains comment, but that should not be taken as licence to treat other Jamaicans with such contempt. Nor should the comment of likening the conduct of some school principals to that of extortionists be ever repeated. These loose comments are not consistent with the need for national unity.

trust and truth

National unity also requires trust and truth as critical ingredients. To tell taxpayers that the sudden and unbudgeted spending of millions of dollars in constituencies where by-elections are being held is mere coincidence and has nothing to do with using State funds to gain personal or partisan advantage, is to forget that truth is in the ears and eyes of the beholder.

Trying to blame journalists for a ministerial 'mis-speak', as was attempted this week by one minister, is not helpful to the process either. Some people will shy away from unity with others if they perceive that they are not being told the truth.

So, whether it is road repairs, distribution of black, plastic water tanks, garbage skips or national Labour Day projects, we must be aware of the message we convey.

National unity is an imperative on which our survival as a prosperous nation depends. I am confident that we can, with honesty, truth and the building of trust among our people, embark on this critical path. Unfortunately, hopes and aspirations are being dashed by the indiscretions of those who think that their interests should be above those of the nation.

As a nation, we need to pray, 'To our leaders, Great Defender, grant true wisdom from above.'

Lambert Brown is president of the University and Allied Workers' Union and can be contacted at labpoyh@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.