http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20091108/focus/focus4.html
Published: Sunday | November 8, 2009
Kevin O'Brien Chang

Danville Walker, Greg Christie, Paula Llewellyn and Les Green are making Jamaicans more hopeful about our body politic than we've been in a long time. All have demonstrated an unbiased willingness to say it like it is, and to act as they see fit, regardless of whose feathers they ruffle. So there's a wary optimism in many hearts that maybe, just maybe, the system is starting to work for the tax-paying public, and not to protect privileged insiders.

Should we add Bruce Golding to this list? His no-holds-barred exposure of the disgraceful contract under which former Bank of Jamaica governor, Derick Latibeaudiere was employed has won much favour with the public. Too often we've been left on the outside looking in, as our tax dollars are lavishly doled out without our knowledge, much less consent.

abuse of the public purse

Davies (left) and Llewellyn (right)

The unmitigated anger at Latibeaudiere's greedy abuse of the public purse has been mixed with a kind of horrified satisfaction at finally finding out how our hard earned taxes are being squandered.

But amid the furore, questions are being heard. Was Latibeaudiere's arrogant "pay me every cent or I'll sue" letter the main reason for his dismissal? What's the difference between that $50 million spent on Latibeaudiere's house and the $60 million spent on transport minister Mike Henry's residence? How does the former BOJ governor's $38 million per year package stack up against the $27 million Aubyn Hill has collected in consultancy fees since July 2008? How for instance, does Hill's work and pay compare to similar consultancies?

Mr Latibeaudiere's performance was unquestionably substandard. The main job of any central bank is to maintain price stability, and the BOJ under Latibeaudiere failed to do so. Under his tenure Jamaica's inflation rate was over three times that of the United States, Trinidad and Barbados.

For Dr Omar Davies to not only rehire someone with such a record in 2007, but give him an open-ended contract, simply beggars belief. But then so did Dr Davies' decision to sell bauxite at a forward rate which caused Jamaica to end up losing money on each ton sold. And so did his virtual giveaway to Virgin Atlantic of Air Jamaica's Heathrow Airport slots. Once is happenstance. Twice is co-incidence. Thrice is a pattern.

new approach

In 1995, National Democratic Movement leader Bruce Golding pledged to bring a culture of transparency and accountability to Jamaican politics, if voters would only give him a chance. In 2007, Opposition Leader Bruce Golding reiterated this pledge in the JLP election manifesto. In 2009, Prime Minister Bruce Golding has shown glimpses of this promised new approach to governance, but not enough consistent push to convince sceptics it was not mere electioneering sweet-talk.

To be sure, the PM has spent much of his tenure firefighting. Hardly had the dual citizenship affair been resolved, when the global financial crisis decimated our bauxite sector and cut remittances by over 10 per cent. It's tough to worry about constitutional niceties when you are fighting for economic survival.

Then came the American extradition request for Tivoli strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke. "Send him over right away!" demanded many, a move which would have demonstrated an unequivocal commitment to prompt and equal justice for all. But then, what if this resulted in West Kingston and its environs being torched by his angry, armed supporters?

For all our debt and crime, Jamaica has one shining competitive advantage, our reputation for political stability. Forty-seven years of unbroken multi-party democracy, no coups or revolutions or riots or assassinations, as free a press as you can find, and consistent rule of law - only 17 of the 155 countries with more than a million people can make such a collective claim.

Pictures of downtown Kingston in flames on BBC and CNN would destroy this record forever, and maybe scare away foreign investors for decades. No doubt the prime minister's dilemma smacks of chickens coming home to roost. He is the one who chose the West Kingston constituency, despite all his warnings about garrisons destroying our political system. But then, which senior politician in Jamaica has clean hands on this matter?

The Jamaican economy is only going to recover when the American one does. So not too many are blaming the economic hardships on the Government. But Mr Golding now has a real chance to show the country he truly wants a transparent and accountable political system. His pledge to review all government contracts over $10 million is most welcome. The public would be more convinced if this had been done immediately on the JLP taking office, but better late than never. And what about all those other governance promises in the JLP election manifesto, such as a special prosecutor? Is the talk being walked? The public would love to know.

rising homicide count

As to former Police Commissioner Hardley Lewin's resignation, well, security ministers and police commissioners have come and gone over the past 20 years. But while the names have changed, the story remains the same. The homicide count rose inexorably from 414 in 1988 to 1,674 in 2005, where it has pretty much plateaued. Most Jamaicans have concluded that neither party has any real interest in taking the measures necessary to reduce our murder toll to even below 1,000 per year.

Still, new man on the job Owen Ellington has a good reputation as a hard-working and intelligent cop. Maybe he will surprise our crime weary country and really make a difference. My advice to him, probably worth what it costs, is to speak truth to the people even if it means upsetting his own rank and file. Jamaicans are tired of being told by public figures what their own eyes and ears tell them is nonsense. This is why straight-shooting Les Green is so popular on the ground.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle facing our police is the unwillingness of many witnesses to report crimes because they fear reprisals. The Crime Stop phone line helps to neutralise this fear factor. But many still feel their voices can be traced, and are reluctant to use it.

So why not a Crime Stop Internet site? Every Jamaican has a cellphone, many with cameras and videos, and most young folk use the Internet. A Crime Stop Website would enable citizens to text in reports of crimes they witness, send in pictures of criminals they see, and even video police corruption incidents they experience. In essence, criminals - including the police variety - would be under surveillance by the entire cellphone population.

tracking down wrongdoers

A 'Jamaica Most Wanted' television show would also aid the police tremendously in tracking down wrongdoers. The current 30 second Crime Stop ads are helpful, but an expanded 30 minute version would be much more effective. A Crime Stop Internet site and a 'Jamaica Most Wanted' television show would turn every Jamaican eyeball into a potential crime-fighter, for not a lot of money.

Since knowledge is power, the resulting huge increase of useful reports to the police would cause a quantum leap advance in local crime-solving. They sure seem like no-brainers.