Make conscientious decisions when voting
Published:Saturday | August 16, 2025 | 12:10 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
As Jamaica approaches another election cycle, we must ask ourselves not just who we are voting for but why we are voting at all.
The answer lies in our collective desire for real independence, not merely symbolic sovereignty, but a deliberate, informed, and people-powered transformation of our society.
To prepare for this, we must understand the historical systems that shaped our current geopolitical reality.
Two dominant models, feudalism and colonialism, have left indelible marks on Third World economies like ours, and their legacies continue to influence our institutions, our economy, and our social fabric.
Colonialism, particularly in Jamaica, replaced feudal loyalty with imperial exploitation. Our land was transformed into a plantation economy, our people into labourers for sugar production, and our culture into a battleground for survival.
Jamaica’s colonial past has left us with a paradox: cultural resilience alongside economic vulnerability. We are not alone, as countries like Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo also bear the scars of feudal and colonial systems. But our path forward must be uniquely Jamaican.
This is the real power of the vote if we use it as a tool for real independence. True, true independence begins with the empowerment of every citizen. Our vote is not just a civic duty, it is a declaration of intent. It is how we give voice to the voiceless, challenge inherited systems, and shape institutions that reflect our values and aspirations.
We must vote not just for personalities, but for policies that dismantle dependency, promote equity, and build regional solidarity. As a Caribbean nation, our strength lies in cooperation with our neighbours, not isolation. We are co-dependent by geography, but we can be interdependent by choice.
Let us enter this election season with clarity, courage, and conviction taken from the knowledge of our history. Let us understand where we are emerging from, and where we must go. Let us prepare ourselves not just politically, but intellectually and spiritually, for real independence.
Because independence is not a date on a calendar. It is a mindset and it begins with the people.
PATRICK BROWN
Pembroke Pines, Florida