"In the western industrialised world, the idea of electing a member of a racial minority to the highest office seems an astonishing breakthrough. But Jamaica's 95 per cent black population elected a white man - Edward Seaga - as its prime minister in 1980."
- Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times, October 23, 2008

Only tourist board pollyannas could pretend skin colour does not matter in Jamaica. One glance through the social pages shows the still existing inequities - itself a topic for another day. Yet, imperfect as they are, race relations here are still better than in most places.

IF JAMAICAN politics was a cricket match, the state of play report might read something like this.

"Put into bat on a sticky wicket, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Government reached 220 for six, thanks mainly to an unbeaten captain's knock of 85 from Bruce Golding. With the ball swinging and spinning on a pitch of uneven bounce, the JLP lost the early wickets of Derrick Smith, Trevor MacMillan and Clive Mullings.

"But with decent support from Ed Bartlett, and a good half century by Andrew Holness, skipper Golding shepherded his side to a reasonable total, which may be larger than it seems on a tricky track. The JLP was aided immensely by the PNP's amateur field setting and proliferation of wides and no balls. Yet, with the fragile Labourite batting line up so over-dependent on its leader, the match remains very much in the balance."

ONCE UPON a time a Jamaican gold medal at the Olympics or the World Championships in Athletic was a rare event, and a medal of any kind was reason for celebration. Between 1964 and 2004, we won only four Olympic golds, and an average of three medals per Games. Between the first World Championships in 1983 and 2003, we won three individual and three relay golds, and an average of under six medals per meet.

History may be written by victors, but it's also written by writers. Which means that its intelligentsia may well have an even greater impact on a nation's accepted past than its generals or politicians. As the old joke goes, historians are able to do what is impossible even for God - namely, change the past.

History is largely a product of university denizens, who tend towards the left side of the political spectrum. Perhaps this is because leftist political dogmas like socialism and Marxism are themselves largely the products of academics and very amenable to theoretical dissection. This possibly explains why Stalin, for instance, still gets relatively good press compared to Hitler, even though they had equally blood-stained records. Or why so many who praise Castro revile Pinochet, despite both being iron-fisted military dictators who brooked no dissent.

National anthems were played before each match at the recent Cricket Twenty20 World Cup. Englishmen sang along to 'God Save the Queen' and Australians to 'Advance Australia Fair'. For the West Indies, it was 'Rally Round the West Indies'.

So there was the intriguing spectacle of players standing at attention to the 'national anthem' of an imagined country that exists only in the minds of cricket fans - 'Rally, rally round the West Indies/now and forever'.

Given the worldwide economic crisis and the Jamaican fallout of drastically shrinking remittances and bauxite collapsing to almost nothing, elections are the last thing on people's minds right now. So the general reaction to last week's North East St Catherine by-election was "Stewps. Me too busy trying to pay my bills to worry 'bout that foolishness!"

When the $1,000 bill with Michael Manley's portrait was put into circulation, no one objected. So why the protests about putting Hugh Shearer on the new $5,000 note? He is just as worthy as Alexander Bustamante, Norman Manley, Donald Sangster, and Michael Manley. To argue otherwise is ignorant disrespect of a great Jamaican.

Well done, Bruce, Portia, Audley and Omar. You have collectively given Jamaica its best Budget debate in living memory. A tone of friendly cooperation was maintained from start to finish, and there was lots of substance to go with the style. Navigating the world financial crisis without fatal damage will require inspired leadership and, so far, our politicians have risen to the task.

Jamaica has its problems, but for the most part our political system works pretty well. The Budget Debate so far has been a case in point. Finance Minister Audley Shaw's almost-excellent presentation was countered by Opposition spokesman Dr Omar Davies almost-excellent critique.

GOVERNMENT OF the people, by the people, for the people is as good a working definition of democracy as any. And for all the obvious imperfections of our governmental system, the political bottom line in this country is that what the Jamaican people want, the Jamaican people get.