Politics needs not negate decency

The Editor, Sir:

We are all culpable for the much-loved yet corrupt state we find ourselves in. We could spend useless time and taxpayers' money - as with the FINSAC enquiry - debating the extent of this culpability on a case-by-case basis or we can simply end the hypocrisy, own our personal contributions and accept that Jamaicans have allowed Jamaica to be corrupt.

However, acceptance alone will not solve our problems; it is only the beginning. I propose, as clichéd as it sounds, that a top-down approach to crime and corruption must be adopted as the first step to redemption. In case there are any grey areas, I refer to our elected government officials as the top. For too long, our politicians have believed and may have even caused us to believe that politics negates decency, morality and accountability.

Redemption

The process of redemption must begin with placing the lives of these officials under a microscope. And not the kind of microscope our so-called Integrity Commission uses, as theirs is clearly useless. The submission of accounts by public officials should not be a mere formality. There needs to be detailed investigation into and analysis of the financial affairs of every public official.

While I do not assert that our Government is charged with the duty of redressing or preventing all the wrongs in Jamaica, I do think that it is charged with the duty of preventing and redressing all wrongs caused by itself. I also think that the consistent improvement in the examples set by our leaders will permeate to all levels below and over time will stir this same sense of decency, morality and accountability in every Jamaican.

I am, etc.,

ANDRENA RAMSAMUGH

MCMAYO

aramsamugh@gmail.com