Kahlil Hutchinson | Proper consultation to reduce political apathy

The Jamaican system of governance is described as a democracy. To be exact, it is a representative democracy, meaning the people (us) elect (give power) to officials, to represent our interest on issues. This type of governance has been around since ancient Greece as seen in the words ‘ demos’ and ‘kratos’ literally translating to ‘people rule’ – what could go wrong with such an august system? The main thing that could go wrong is what the Jamaican society is currently facing – political apathy. To be put simply, the people are losing faith.

The function of a political representative is very complex as they have to battle to fulfil the needs and desires of a large scale of the population with very limited resources, hence it is expected that not all representatives will be viewed favourably by all groups. This, however, based on interactions is not the cause for the lack of faith. This article seeks to answer what has caused this lack of faith in our representatives by highlighting our problem relating to consultation.

A basic tenet of a functioning society is the social contract. This highlights the relationship between the government and the people. In this contract, a government is given legitimacy by the people it governs. This contract is not a written one, rather it is an agreement in principle and legitimises the government through the belief of the people that the government will put their needs centre in all decisions.

This social contract makes it imperative for a government to hear from the people being governed through consultation in any and every decision. Even though the government is currently implementing strategies for consultation, this is not enough. The term consultation defined by the Oxford Dictionary means “the act of discussing something with somebody or with a group of people before making a decision about it”.

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The Jamaican government’s definition of the term ‘consultation’ seems to be “the act of discussing something with somebody or with a group of people AFTER making a decision about it”. If this current state of consultation is continued it will result in a society that is reflective of the views of only the minority and not taking into account the views of the majority, and hence breaking the social contract which may result in civil disorder from political grievances.

While this civil disorder would seem to be a major concern to be addressed, the true issue is that the Jamaican society is suffering heavily form political apathy. As such, Jamaica seems to be heading down a path in which the “leaders” of the nation will be given tacit approval to conduct the business of the nation in any way they deem fit. This behaviour sadly is currently taking place; the best example is the removal of the Political Ombudsman.

A function of the Political Ombudsman as outlined in the Interim Act is to investigate certain actions taken by political parties deemed contrary to any agreed code. At its core, this office promotes civil values such as the rule of law, equity and public awareness. This can be seen in the civic education handbook ‘Jamaica Strong and Free!’ developed by Donna Parchment-Brown, former Political Ombudsman. Therefore, it is a bad accountability indication for the GOJ that this office no longer exist; it is also worse that this move has not received greater public attention.

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Jamaica is at a pivotal stage in her history, there is so much happening. However, how much of this are you aware of? Is it smart to implement binding measures when majority of the population is either unaware or uninterested? The Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) is an example. The CRC is currently conducting public sensitisation sessions guided by the core values of inclusion, participation and integrity based on the minutes of the meetings. These values are positive values and it is a good sign that the CRC is placing an effort on consultation; however, how effective is the consultation?

The Jamaican consultation code of practice for the public sector (2005), outlined I.L.O.C.M. as the principles for proper public consultation. I – Inclusiveness and Equity, L –Local Ownership, O – Openness and Accountability, C –Collaboration and M – Mutual Respect. A suggestion to the CRC is that these principles be implemented to augment the current consultation values, thus making for a more rewarding consultation campaign, which ultimately means a more informed citizenry upon the time of the referendum.

Earlier, it was highlighted that Jamaicans are losing faith in their political representatives; this can be attributed to a lack of knowledge. Jamaicans should acquire this knowledge through proper consultation with the political representatives in decisions regarding our affairs. Consultation should take place virtually and physically, and on the national and local levels. Consultation should take place with the young and the old. Proper consultation is needed to reduce political apathy, and reduces the risk of the GOJ losing legitimacy with the people of our country.

Kahlil Hutchinson is youth leader and community organiser, and past president of the University of Technology, Jamaica Students’ Union. Send feedback to kahlil_hutchinson@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.