LETTER OF THE DAY: God, give us men!

The Editor, Sir:

To say that Jamaica is in a crisis is to understate the gravity of the situation arising out of the Manatt affair. I am simply heartsick. Many persons seem focused on whether the prime minister has finally spoken the truth or apologised, but those are side issues.

What is far more important is what the said recent 'truth' reveals - that the prime minister and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) felt themselves beholden to Christopher Coke and went out to bat to do everything to protect him - at whatever cost to Jamaica and its reputation. What to me remains equally disturbing is that other persons, including the JLP senators - persons allegedly chosen for their statesmanship and wisdom - could issue such an insulting statement as they did, lauding the fact that the prime minister had spoken the truth and refusing to see that he had done wrong. Have they lost their minds? And what about their self-respect? They have clearly lost all respect for Jamaica and Jamaicans!

Is this what we have come to as a people? I ask the question: What mirror image do those senators have of themselves? Why do the private-sector bodies appear to have pulled their punch and become mealy-mouthed, being satisfied with an apology when every person who is willing to face the truth knows that the situation has already gone past that? Apologise indeed, but surely they must know that local and overseas investment calls for investors to have confidence in the jurisdiction in which they are being asked to invest. Is the overseas investor going to be willing to allow the prime minister time to see if he can rebuild trust? Does Jamaica have that time? Are we serious people? And why is it about him - allowing him time - why is it not about us?

At this juncture, Jamaica needs persons of moral fibre - cost it what it will in friendships, etc. - to stand up for what is true and good and right. I am of the same generation as our prime minister and many of our politicians on both sides, and, sad to say, our generation has done precious little to take Jamaica forward. We have taken, we have pillaged, we have acquired - and Lord knows that many of my generation who went into politics have acquired - and that is about it.

It seems to me that the time has come for us to perform our role - that of cleaning up the nastiness that has been emanating from both parties. We need Jamaicans who are Jamaicans first and foremost and not party hacks, and it needs to start now with demanding accountability and letting the politicians of both parties know that we have had enough, and that we demand to be respected.

Josiah Gilbert Holland penned a poem that keeps reverberating in my mind:

Give us Men!

God, give us men! A time like

this demands

Strong minds, great hearts,

true faith and ready hand;

Men whom the lust of office

cannot buy;

Men who possess opinions

and a will,

Men who have honour; men

who will not lie;

Men who can stand before a

demagogue

And damn his treacherous

flatteries without winking;!

Tall men, sun-crowned, who

live above the fog

In public duty and in private

thinking

For while the rabble, with

their thumb-worn creeds

Their large professions and

their title deeds

Mingle in selfish strife, Lo!

Freedom weeps,

Wrong rules the land and

waiting Justice sleeps.

I am, etc.,

BEVERLEY WALROND

bev@sunbeach.net

St James, Barbados