When Jamaicans go to the polls this year - and the indications are that it will be sooner rather than later – not many are going to concern themselves with race or ideology. Perhaps a few diehards will be thinking about skin colour and socialism and globalization. But the majority of voters will be wondering which party can cut crime, fix the roads, and give us a consistent water supply. The question most of us will ask as we dip our fingers in ink is “Who can run this country properly?”

Now no political party is this country has shown any signs lately of managerial competence. Even if no dishonesty was involved – which is a big if – the NetServe and other informational technology fund follies evidence an astonishing level of governmental ineptitude. In most countries the minister in charge of such public negligence would have no option but to resign for fear of an enraged electorate turfing out his party out at the earliest opportunity.

But our bungling official opposition cannot even capitalize on blatant governmental incompetence. Its recent confused utterances on hanging drug dealers – only the latest in a seemingly endless series of blunders – is not only making the public forget about NetServe but causing it to ponder the old “out of the frying pan into the fire” proverb.

People on a whole are unquestionably fed up with the government’s failure to produce economic growth, control crime, and provide consistent public services. And many are concerned about the possible implications for Jamaican democracy if the PNP wins a fourth term. Can 18 years of consecutive power by any party be good for a nation?

Yet the JLP’s bizarre – and no other word can be used to describe such logically inexplicable actions - behaviour is causing the public to wonder again if this almost irrationally unpredictable one man band really can be trusted with the reins of government. The one don’s inability or unwillingness to think before talking has long been obvious. While the stunningly self-destructive outbursts of Delroy Chuck, reputedly one of the most intelligent Labourites, over the Andrew Phang affair are incomprehensible in terms of intelligent self-interest. How can any sensible politician accuse the media of wholesale incompetence and expect friendly coverage for himself or his party in the future? And though Audley Shaw continues to win plaudits with his revelations of public financial impropriety, he increasingly seems a lonely beacon of reason in a sea of illogic.

The United People’s Party is too new to be judged. However the National Democratic Movement has set a new low in political ineptitude by almost completely self-destructing and thereby accomplished the astonishing feat of making both the JLP and PNP look good in comparison. In contemplating the NDM’s record of arrogant indiscipline the Jamaican electorate must certainly be congratulating itself on not letting it anywhere near the seat of power. Personally I continue to shake my head in amazement that a collection of some of Jamaica’s best and brightest could have created what - in terms of squandered resources, opportunity, and good will – must be considered the most ineffectual political organization in this island’s history.

But then, is there is anything so lacking in Jamaica as organizational skills? It is common to hear businessmen rail against governmental incompetence. But how many businesses in this country can be considered efficiently well run by even minimal first world standards? For though many Jamaicans are highly creative and excellent marketers and possess a natural entrepreneurial flair, very few seem to possess the patient, cool headed attention to detail which is indispensable for managerial excellence.

Maybe it’s the wonderful scenery. Maybe it’s the balmy weather. Or maybe it’s all that soothing ganja smoke floating around. But it’s a rare person in Jamaica who can stay focused for any length of time on even major undertakings. To be outstandingly successful in any endeavour you have to treat it as the most important thing in the world. And almost everyone who lives on this island for any length of time begins to take the not necessarily unhealthy outlook that once your belly is full, nothing matters very much and very little matters at all.

Except of course following our natural instincts to propagate our species. For in my experience almost every conversation between Jamaican men - no matter what their field or station in life - somehow ends up discussing females. And if our politicians and business leaders spent half the time and energy on their jobs as they do chasing and scheduling women, Jamaica would probably have a Singaporean long term growth rate. Frankly given the attitude of those in both the private and public sectors, the surprising fact is not that Jamaica has failed to realize its virtually unlimited potential but that it has managed to do as well as it has.

Expatriates working here say they don’t really consider Jamaica a third world country. For with all its problems this nation somehow works in terms of allowing predictable planning for the future and a reasonably normal lifestyle. Frequent as they may be, our power cuts never last that long and our water lock offs rarely become intolerable. Irritatingly potholed and uneven as our roads are, they seldom become impassable. Our terrifying murder rate doesn’t stop people from going out at night. And political violence and skulduggery has never prevented the legitimate election of a universally accepted government.

To be honest it sometimes seems a bit of a miracle that such a carelessly run country can deliver such a relatively high standard of living to its inhabitants. Jamaica is certainly far from rich or free from suffering, but we have an almost first world life expectancy. And a nation can’t lack for food when – at least according to Health Minister John Junor - obesity is a bigger problem than malnutrition.

For all the sound and fury on the radio and in the newspapers, Jamaicans as a whole hardly seem like a miserable suffering bunch. In fact most visitors seem genuinely impressed by how happy and easygoing people are here. During the Christmas holidays I heard my visiting 8 year old niece - who grew up and lives in the USA – spontaneously remark that “People here are so friendly!”.

As a friend joked last week Jamaica may well be the most efficient country in the world. Where else, he asked, do people live so well with such minimal mental and physical exertion? changkob@hotmail.com