THE EDITOR, Sir:
PRIOR TO 1943 the elected Government of Jamaica was 13 or 14 members. We tried and failed and learnt from our mistakes but Jamaica remained a proud country. Those of us who were around those days can reflect on how disciplined and law-abiding the country was.
When we look back at pre-1933 we see that Jamaica was governed by 14 MLCs and we managed. Today we have 60 elected members soon to be joined by 5 additional ones and we are not managing.
Nowadays a large number of voters (or elected officials) believe that the elected persons are supermen and women and are therefore not answerable to the masses of our people. Jamaica is now on its face and I would be happy to hear the present Government say Jamaica is on even keel and that things are going OK. Mr. Editor, everyone here and overseas would like to share this view.
It is my understanding, however, that Jamaica was never ever so desperate and will be as long as we keep sleeping instead of waking up to the true facts.
Jamaica unfortunately is divided into three classes, i.e., the upper, middle and lower. Government now believes that if the upper and middle classes are surviving then all is well.
Jamaica is now a bankrupt country. The Government which is in power for over 15 years now finds that the value of our currency has declined. Just before they took office, one J$1 valued US$5, now it is taking J$60-70 to buy US$1. Jamaica now has no hope of paying its creditors. If we must survive we must borrow while our earnings are becoming invisible. Let the Government now say we are out of the woods.
I am, etc.,
J.H.D. PARCHMENT
Watchwell P.A.
St. Elizabeth
