‘Is where mi really live?’

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Sometimes I wonder ‘a weh mi really live? Do I live in beautiful, democratic Jamaica, the land of wood and water? Or do I live somewhere on the continent of Africa, where anything unimaginable happens in politics?’

No disrespect to my African friends, but truth cannot be denied. In the recent Nigerian election, a Nollywood film star was contesting the elections. After almost 17 years in a ‘Christian’ marriage, he impregnated a fellow actress and decided to marry the second time, saying that it’s his right as an Igbo man. In light of the recent impeachment and criminal charges filed against former United States President Donald Trump, every democratic society should, by this, get the memo that ‘no one is above the law’.

Therefore, the Jamaican public, who is not so caught up with legal and political jargon, would simply like to ask, ‘Why should the PM explain something that should have been done long ago? What is so secretive that the Jamaican people cannot know about it?’

What is needed now is the affirmation that in Jamaica, no one is above the law; the affirmation that the justice system is slower than a snail, but one day, justice will be meted out.

By not enabling the filing to take place, the PM is fuelling assumptions which may not be correct. He is right, though. Jamaicans do not like to tell people their business and if they do, it is just a small part of their business. But the law nullifies that concept for ‘all legislators and public employees above a certain pay grade’. It is simple, if one does not want to tell everyone one’s business, do not take up those jobs which require one to. Otherwise, adhere to the law.

If our leaders are not adhering to the laws, why should the ordinary Jamaican? Statistics show that ‘seven in 10 Jamaicans believe they live in a corrupt country; nearly half do not trust the legislature, and 46 per cent would tolerate a military coup if its aim was to tackle corruption’!

Is this Jamaica or Somalia (1991), or Nigeria (1967), or Rwanda (1994), or Uganda (1987), or Eritrea/Ethiopia (1998), where civil wars were fought and military rule had to be implemented?

‘Is weh mi really live?’ Let us all do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, so that we can enjoy our beautiful land of wood and water.

NATESHA LINDSAY