Politics and corruption seem to be inseparable everywhere. In one week in March alone the world witnessed the resignation of the entire European Commission over a damning fraud  report, the conviction of former anti-apartheid activist Allan Boesak for stealing charity donations, the expulsion of six International Olympic Committee members over a votes-for-favours scandal, and the first conviction for electoral fraud of a sitting British Member of Parliament since 1859.

The National Democratic Movement has considerably raised the level of political debate in this country. And having brilliant young minds like Wayne Chen and Stephen Vacianni involved in national affairs must be a good thing for Jamaica. But a political party is a group of persons organized to acquire and exercise political power through election. Until the NDM wins seats in parliament it will remain a glorified think tank.

To some people Jamaica’s political system is the root of our problems, and constitutional reform will be the nation’s salvation. But many successful countries have systems like ours, and Jamaica has never experienced assassination, revolution or civil war. So how can our governmental model be considered a complete disaster?

According to Prime Minister Patterson’s post gas riot speech “The old order - the closed, distant and authoritarian sys­tems of governance - is being forced to give way to a structure which is inclusive, responsive, and accountable… We must change our approach to governance, or we will become part of the problem to be swept aside by the emerging new social order.”

Skyrocketing crime, daily roadblocks, corrupt elections, incompetent politicians - Jamaica is simply a disaster. The system just doesn't work, so let's throw it out. Anything must be better than what we have. Things are so bad, they can't get any worse.