Government On Collision Course With The People

It was surprising to many how Jamaicans responded to the tax measures announced by the Government in the April supplementary budget. Even the Government had expected some amount of street protest over the gas tax. The Jamaican people have demonstrated that they understand the effects of the global recession and are appreciative of the difficulties faced by the Government in keeping the Jamaican ship afloat.

However, most Jamaicans are disappointed, shocked and angry with the Government over the recently announced tax package, the third in nine months. The Government is now on a collision course with its people. A survey of our history would indicate that Jamaica today possess some of the explosive features of the Morant Bay Rebellion of 1865, the social unrest of 1932 and the gas riots of 1999. These features include increased economic hardship, high levels of unemployment, increased social inequality and class division, an unbearable tax burden, recalcitrant and seemingly oppressive government.

What we have today is an explosion waiting to happen, a social unrest of immense proportion in the making. Good sense must prevail. The Government must immediately demonstrate that it hears the people's cry and feel their pain. Before the implementation of any new taxes and the signing of an IMF agreement, the prime minister must immediately convene a national summit consisting of representatives of the Government, the Opposition, the private sector, the unions and civil society with the aim of crafting a shared short- and medium-term response to our economic and social plight.

In the meantime, I am calling on the Opposition and the unions to let good sense prevail and abstain from instigating or organising any mass street protest. The country is presently on the precipice of economic and social collapse; let us not push it over the edge.

Orville Plummer

Don't Create A Reigious Garrison

I am aware that Prime Minister Golding, Pearnel Charles and several other members of the present administration are affiliated with the Seventh Day Adventist Church. It is obvious that the present government is positioning the Seventh Day Adventist Church to play a more expanded and active role in the nation.

The appointment of the head of the Seventh Day Adventist Church as Governor General, the dominant role given by the SDA church in last independence observations, the use of SDA choirs at state functions and the use of Seventh Day Adventist Churches to host official state functions are cases in pointed. I am in strong agreement with the view that as the largest Christian denomination in Jamaica, there should be a more active role given to the Seventh Day Adventist Church in national building. The Seventh Day Adventist Church earns the right to play a more active role in national life. The SDA contribution to health care, education, disaster relief and family life education are commendable and should be emulated by other denominations.

Care must me taken however, that the Seventh Day Adventist Church is not being positioning as the official church of Jamaica. The government must not create a religious garrison, Jamaica has enough garrisons.

Orville Plummer

Gully and Gaza Filling A Vacuum

Mavado and Vybz Kartel and their Gully and Gaza empires took centre stage this week as they commanded the attention of the prime minister, four Cabinet ministers, the Peace Management Initiative, the National Transformation Programme and the media in a high-level meeting at Jamaica House. Much has been said about the impact of the Gully-Gaza conflict and its negative repercussions on our youth, schools and communities.

In dealing with problems, we have a tendency to focus on the peripheral rather than on the fundamental issues. We have a tendency to focus on personalities and symptoms rather than root causes. A closer examination of the Gully-Gaza conflict will indicate that it is a mere symptom of the serious identity and leadership crisis that has characterised the Jamaican society for some time now. It is obvious that there is a dearth of effective leadership at all levels of the society, from the home to the school and from the church and to the Parliament. A significant portion of our youths have no sense of self, their heritage nor what it is to be Jamaican.

In this regard, the Gully-Gaza craze is just another phenomenon that occupies the leadership and identity vacuum in the society. Gully and Gaza are like sponges sopping up the hearts and minds of thousands of young people who are searching for leadership and their identity. Gully and Gaza are playing a similar role to the one being played by the dons, gangs, lotto scam, and skin bleaching. Gully, Gaza, Mavado, Kartel and others of their ilk will continue to capture the hearts and minds of our youth as long as parenting and family life remain weak, churches and pastors remain indifferent and irrelevant, service clubs and uniformed groups remain dormant and political parties and their leaders remain visionless and uninspiring.

Orville Plummer