LETTER OF THE DAY - Jamaica model democracy

THE EDITOR, Sir:

MANY ARE salivating about how much Jamaicans should learn about people power from the current uprisings in Egypt and other parts of the Middle East, even to the extent of being prepared to imitate them.

I would like to suggest, however, that apart from the obvious differences in resources and political system between Jamaica and countries with undemocratic governments, we have more to teach them than to learn from them.

I believe that Jamaica's current model of people power is more to be admired, strengthened and developed than anything in Egypt and elsewhere. I make no judgement on the justification or otherwise of the approaches of the Egyptian people being used to express their views and to effect political and social change in their context.

They may even consider it worth the price they pay in extensive loss of lives, destruction of property, and ongoing political and economic turmoil.

Develop the socio-political model

Rather than blindly seeking to follow the crowd, however, Jamaica should continue to develop the evolving socio-political model that has brought our country disproportionate admiration and some envy.

This should be done while equipping us as a people - at home and abroad - with the ability to be world beaters in many areas, including the democratic ways in which we seek to settle disagreements and change political administrations periodically.

There is no need for Jamaica to adopt or mimic people-power approaches that are destructive rather than constructive. Rather, let us develop and fine-tune the approaches that have worked and are working for us - especially in recent times.

Let us appreciate and capitalise on the fact that our resources include a contractor general like Mr Greg Christie, and a political leadership with the will and the courage to do what they are convinced is in the country's best interest, despite the no-nonsense approach of the contractor general. Furthermore, there is a vibrant and aware civil society and an emerging new third-party coalition.

And since we now find ourselves looking back at Egypt, let us not be like the proverbial children of Israel on their way out of ancient Egypt. They ungratefully and ungraciously murmured against their leader, Moses, and about what was provided for them by Yahweh himself. It turned out that instead of proceeding to the Promised Land, vir-tually every one of the Israelites who came out of Egypt originally died in the wilderness after wandering around for 40 years, with only their children making it to the Promised Land.

I am, etc.,

C. Anthony

carltongor@gmail.com