EDITORIAL - The Redwood factor

Whoever Portia Simpson Miller appoints and/or elevates to the presidency of the Senate to succeed Stanley Redwood, she should ensure that he has greater faith in Jamaica than his predecessor.

That person, Mrs Simpson Miller must be certain, will have to have the gumption to work hard to help fix Jamaica's myriad problems, rather than throw in the towel.

If the prospective appointee can't give the prime minister that assurance, she should not give him, or her, the job. She can't allow the embarrassment of another Rev Stanley Redwood.

We should make clear that this newspaper has no animus towards the Rev Mr Redwood, who, by most accounts, is a nice, friendly guy who acquitted himself with equanimity and decorum during the 16 months he not only served in the Upper House, but as its president.

But the Rev Redwood is likely to admit that he is more than a bit queasy about his reason for stepping down and the signal that it sends to Jamaica, including the many thousands whose votes gave Mrs Simpson Miller the gift for his appointment. He is emigrating, making no secret that Jamaica is not the place, economically and socially, where he wants to live and raise his family.

Said the Rev Redwood in his parting remarks to fellow senators: "No other Jamaican should be forced, or feel forced, to make the choice I have to make this month. I feel strongly that after 50 years of Independence, Jamaica should be further along the pathway to be able to sustain more of the hopes and the dreams of more of its citizens. I voice this regret so that as committed and patriotic Jamaicans, you might be challenged to redouble your efforts to put Jamaica first. And to put the people first."

Rev Redwood is right that Jamaica should be better off, economically and socially. He is certainly within his rights to seek a better life elsewhere.

But that is an individual choice that he has the wherewithal to make, given his personal circumstances, which is not afforded to all of Jamaica's citizens. His decision to go is not being forced upon him. In ordinary circumstances, that would be no one's business. Except that Rev Redwood has made it everyone's business by accepting high office and throwing in the towel less than a quarter of the way through the journey.

Rev Redwood can, and perhaps will, make important contributions to Jamaica from wherever he goes. But it is likely to do something to the confidence of the country if, without skipping a beat, one day he is president of the Jamaican Senate and the next, he is living in another country, which he feels is a better place to live, work, do business and raise his family.

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