Partisan politics being replaced by vigilance

THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE JAMAICA Labour Party's (JLP) loss in the recent general election can be partially attributed to the sentiment that since the People's National Party (PNP) was riddled with corruption during their eighteen and a half years' tenure, this would become an accepted norm, that the people of Jamaica will 'si wid dem'; in other words, tit for tat.

This ridiculous idea will incur more reactive sentiments as the people of Jamaica become more informed via the Office of the Contractor General, now under the astute leadership of Greg Christie, plus the Internet, and daily talk shows, and not from political platforms, as it relates to independent voters.

The recent Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme debacle, involving then Works Minister Mike Henry and his cohorts, coming so soon after Manatt and other anomalies, was the tipping point. This, however, is merely a drop in the bucket to the PNP's Trafigura, FINSAC and the Cuban light bulb affair, among other things, in my opinion.

But the JLP seemingly rubbed salt into the festering wound of the past, which has become unbearable to the suffering population and, by extension, the electorate. The JLP is unfortunately the fall guy in this paradigm; this means that the new PNP administration will have to be more careful and take sleep mark death, thus heeding the signs of the time as it relates to corruption.

Openness a must

Transparency will have to be imperative every step of the way, since some projects will inevitably overrun their budgets because of various legitimate reasons - causing escalation of budget on various projects, as happens all around the world. This might invoke the corruption cry from the Opposition, whether or not this is so, thus confusing the people.

However, collaboration, coordination, discipline and transparency are imperative, as the battle-weary people of Jamaica will be most vigilant. The time for partisan politics appear to be subsiding after 50 years.

A. Mclean

altimc@comcast.net