Good Ideas Dr. Phillips

Why is it that only when politicians are in opposition that they have great ideas to move this country forward? Hearing excerpts of Dr. Peter Phillips’ contribution in parliament recently reminded me of how much I used to respect and applaud Mr. Golding when he was in opposition!(when talk was cheap!)

However, if Dr. Phillips does all to forward the proposals he made, I promise to forgive him for having been a senior minister with immense power for decades yet doing nothing stop the reality that “those who play by the rules get shafted” which he recognized and articulated .

Anyway, the entire country and especially the vocal and influential civil society need to support Dr. Phillips’ suggestion that the Electoral Commission develop “fit and proper” criteria for persons running for office at both the local and central government levels. Do we need anything more than the recent declaration by the police that they took an alleged member of the Clansman gang who had run on the PNP’s ticket in 2007into custody during the state of emergency to realize how urgent this need is?

Do we really understand the implications of this or are we such a hypocritical society that we are prepared to continue hugging up people of questionable character the minute they are “elected” even garrison style?

I would suggest we go even further however for some dons and other such people are smart enough not seek power for themselves but influential enough to determine who represents their constituency or even parish and end up as legislators. Or are we forgetting the several media reports to the effect that Dudus had rejected Babsy Grange and Desmond McKenzie to be the MP for West Kingston and gone with Golding!

It is not only in the garrisons that this type of influence is being wielded however for I can recall media reports in both Manchester and St. Ann to the effect that the “mid island don” and the powerful one in St. Ann had endorsed candidates from time to time. Shouldn’t one criterion be that those endorsed by the dons be also not considered “fit and proper”? For we need to strike while the iron is hot and before the electorate forgets the nine months during which every stumbling block was put in place to try and prevent Dudus’ extradition?

Dr. Phillips also endorsed the suggestion of the Contactor General that the integrity Commission, Corruption Commission and Contractor General’s office be amalgamated to become an effective Corruption fighting institution. Civil Society also needs to add their support to this suggestion for apart from the contractor general office, the others are not being effective although they have enormous powers. In calling for this Dr, Phillips made the point that although a public officer files reports before the Integrity commission, it was revealed that on his approximately $2 million per annum salary, he is building a $50 million dollar home. This type of allegation is not at all uncommon and it reinforces the urgency for proper action and not just window dressing to deal with corruption. And while they are at it, they should ensure that the ”fit and proper” means loyalty to Jamaica only, no exceptions for Commonwealth citizens.

After watching political developments in this country for some forty years, I have come to the conclusion that they only time we get ideas from the legislators to make this country a better place is when they are in opposition but that should not prevent us the electorate from embracing them, regardless of our particular political preferences. For Jamaica can never move forward if we in civil society also act as cultist at every turn.