Unity: Jamaica at 50

As we count down to Jamaica's 50th anniversary of Independence, The Gleaner asks some of Jamaica's most influential leaders why unity is important at this time and what it means for Jamaica going forward.

Wayne Chen, PresidentJamaica Employers' Federation

"I believe that unity is important and can be used to improve our limited resources. Over the years Jamaica has been divided by politics, race and class. If we bridge this division it will serve us well as a country as we can do much better in education, law, the judicial system and politics. We need to spend more on our education system, court and judicial system and our parliament so that the politicians can be more effective."

Ruel Reid, CDPrincipalJamaica College

Jamaica is such a blessed country with so many possibilities. We lost our way when we became so tribal. We must, as we reflect on the last 50 years, seek to right the wrongs under God. We must live out our motto, "Out of Many One People". We must engender a healthy and competitive democracy that seeks to make Jamaica better for its entire people and put the country above narrow partisan interests.

If we unite around Vision 2030 as we do around our athletes at the Olympics; there is so much we can achieve. If we work to educate our people and improve our productivity, then Jamaica will become that place of choice to "live, work, do business and raise families".