Letter of the Day | Governing by announcements cannot help Garvey
Published:Saturday | February 12, 2022 | 12:06 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
The Government of Jamaica, whether under the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) or People’s National Party (PNP), loves grand announcements. As a matter of fact, it seems we are governed by announcements – all talk and no work/action - with promises evaporating like the morning mist after the predictable nine-day wonder.
In the Throne Speech delivered at the opening of the new parliamentary year on Thursday, February 10, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen spoke to the efforts that will be made to clear the name of the Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jamaica’s first national hero. He said that, “To that end, the [Jamaican] government will utilise the avenues available to intercede with the government of the United States (US), building on past and existing efforts to lift this stain of his wrongful conviction” ( Jamaica Observer, February 10).
As the Government points its pinkie finger at the US, a massive boulder has blinded them from seeing their own failures of even pressuring themselves to expunge the criminal records of Garvey and other notable freedom fighters in Jamaica.
It was Emma Lewis who reminded me in December when the Government had forgotten to observe Samuel Sharpe’s Day (December 27), that the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange. in 2016, announced in Parliament that the criminal records of four national heroes and a number of freedom fighters involved in four significant events throughout Jamaican history were to be expunged and a statutory pardon issued:
“The Cabinet has approved drafting instructions in respect of legislation which will cause the expungement of the criminal records of notable freedom fighters, national heroes, supporters, sympathizers and participants by association who were involved in the 1760 Chief Tacky’s St Mary rebellion, the 1831/32 Christmas rebellion, the 1865 Morant Bay rebellion and the 1929 campaign of the People’s Political Party” (JIS, October 12, 2016).
According to Lewis, “the last item refers to Jamaica’s first modern political party, founded by Marcus Mosiah Garvey — perhaps the most admired national hero among Jamaicans. Garvey was charged with contempt of court in September 1929, after criticizing Jamaica’s legal system as “oppressive” and calling for laws to punish judges who were unfair. He was convicted and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and a 100-pound-sterling fine.”
Grange, in championing the cause as “leading by example”, said, “This Government is of the view … that our heroes should be pardoned by the State as a means of blunting the edge of the sword of injustice and as a symbolic recognition of their struggle. As such, it is recognised that a statutory pardon/expungement, which has its origin in the supreme legislative power of Parliament, is required to totally absolve them of any criminal wrongdoing.”
Now, the Government expects the US political administration to achieve in six months what they cannot even do for themselves after six years of non-action. No wonder our people are sceptical and the trust factor is low!
DUDLEY MCLEAN II
Mandeville Manchester