LETTER OF THE DAY - We are lacking basic values

THE EDITOR, Sir:

The unbecoming behaviour of some of our parliamentarians on Tuesday was not surprising, as Parliament is merely a microcosm of the Jamaican society. From an increasingly coarse and morally deficient society come our parliamentarians.

We do not usually elect persons to political office based on their moral and ethical convictions, so there is always a great possibility that such a distasteful and unprofessional display will take place.

The mere election of a morally and ethically deficient person to Parliament does not result in that person becoming automatically reformed.

In this our 50th year as an independent nation, it is rather disconcerting that we continue to be so challenged. Instead of becoming a kinder and gentler society, we are becoming coarser and more lacking in basic values.

Instead of maturing politically, partisan invective, political tribalism and victimisation remain like diseases to thwart progress.

Instead of our politicians committing themselves to fundamentally developing the potential of our people and to retaining more of our people to advance the development of our nation, they continue to play with the people's business and labour in the tribalistic filth that pollutes our nation.

It is my fervent hope that as we pause to recognise our first 50 years as an independent nation and before we move beyond, we will stop to engage in some deep introspection and recommit ourselves as Jamaicans to doing all in our power to ensure a better Jamaica for the benefit of all of us.

KEVIN K.O. SANGSTER

sangstek@msn.com