THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WRITE in response to the article by Dr. Don Robotham, in Sunday's Gleaner (6/7/2003) entitled, 'Wanted: A Strong Black Bourgeoisie'.
I would first like to remind Dr. Robotham that the bourgeoisie class is a product of the capitalist system so vehemently opposed by Dr. Robotham and the 'progressive forces' of 1970s Jamaica.
The attack on the Jamaican bourgeoisie is encapsulated in the "5 Flights to Miami" speech by the late Michael Manley. In fact the Jamaican bourgeoisie which was in its infancy stage of development (a deliberate government strategy in the late 1960s) was destroyed by the attempt at Democratic Socialism in the 1970s, a movement of which Dr. Robotham was a leading light.
The Jamaican bourgeoisie was again attacked in the early 1990s, with the destruction of the locally owned financial system, to be replaced by FINSAC and nationals from elsewhere. In fact our local debt was sold to an American at a price less than that proposed by our local entrepreneurs.
A bourgeoisie cannot be created through trading in paper. There has never been any attempt at encouraging the creation of locally owned businesses or entrepreneurs in the last 14 years.
In fact like in South Africa, successful business people in Jamaica are seen as criminal and exploiters of labour.
In the final analysis it is encouraging that persons of Dr. Robotham's ilk are now seeing the negatives of their ways and beliefs. It is sad that this had not happened sooner, as this would have saved Jamaica and Jamaicans from the present abyss of underdevelopment. Welcome, Dr. Robotham, better late than never.
I am, etc.,
PHILLIP D.C. CHAMBERS
phillipchambers@hotmail.com
