Lesson to be learnt
Published:Wednesday | June 2, 2010 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
JAMAICA'S CURRENT symptomatic episode of profound troubles makes me wonder if the real lesson of the 'Dudus' affair can be learnt by most.
In fact, this lesson strikes at the very core of our fundamental problem as a nation - nation building. People have different ideas about what things are necessary for building a nation. One necessity is comprehensive inclusion - we must include every part of our political, social and economic systems when planning to improve our country.
The leaders must include a legal and transparent welfare programme that helps the poor while motivating and directing them to the path to overcome their disadvantages.
We need to recognise their very low standard of living, and the prejudice many of them suffer, and match them against the privilege enjoyed by affluent Jamaicans and their very high standard of living. This disparity is the real state of emergency!
We must open our eyes and accept these features of injustice, or else we will never truly even begin the process of nation building.
The rise of Dudus has its genesis in corrupt political practices of Jamaican leadership. The reign of Dudus was allowed and sustained by our leadership through exclusion of the poorer classes from the legitimate system - an exclusion that created a vacuum which the don filled and abused.
Many Jamaicans have abandoned their homeland (some temporarily) and many are in transition to possibly abandon this tropical paradise, because the political, social and economic forecasts look so dismal. Many have said that Jamaica is incapable of properly governing itself - maybe they have a valid point.
I am, etc.,
Marlon Newman
St James