Fitz Jackson

Now in the winter of his political career, Fitz Jackson, the seven-term member of parliament (MP) for St Catherine Southern, has found a spring.

It’s a spring that has borne him accolades nationwide, for it has been the springboard for the Opposition legislator to patiently and relentlessly advocate for changes to customer service in the banking sector.

Jackson is incensed that it had to take a resolution, adopted by bipartisan support in Parliament, for the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) to finally issue operating standards for commercial banks to ease customers’ distress in using automated teller machines (ATM).

He believes customers could have been getting better service from commercial banks long ago, had the Government not used its majority in Parliament to kill his proposed Banking Bill that he had been championing for several years. This, he said, would have brought tighter regulations of the sector, to the benefit of customers.

Nonetheless, he applauded BOJ’s move to hold the institutions accountable and provide better service to customers.

DEFINING HIS JOURNEY

Last week, Jackson sat down with The Sunday Gleaner for an interview, telling of his ultimate goal in his crusade against the banking sector, as well as his future in politics and that of Jamaica.

First elected as MP in 1993, there have been suggestions that Jackson is serving the last year of his seventh term, which ends at the next general election due in 2025.

Jackson, whose entrance into representational politics began via a by-election in a newly commissioned constituency, said he has taken no decision about his departure, but was firm that he will not be leaving in a wheelchair.

“I have not made a definitive decision yet. I still have reasonably good strength and energy and I will dispense of it and depart at a reasonable time,” Jackson told The Sunday Gleaner.

Jackson, who served as chairman of the People’s National Party (PNP), weighed in on his biggest contribution to politics since becoming MP.

“It has been a real privilege to represent the people in my constituency. Changing lives through education, and seeing it end cycles of poverty which have plagued generations. Offering service, making a difference, contributing to that have been a real pleasure,” he said.

“I really, really cherish the opportunity that has been afforded me to represent the people of St Catherine South. I ask for nothing in return, but everywhere I go someone is saying thank you.”

He shared a story of being upgraded to business class on a flight from New York, compliments of an airline attendant who wanted to express her gratitude for getting assistance with her secondary education.

“She went to her supervisor and upgraded me to first class. She said she just wanted to say thanks,” he recounted.

A long campaigner in the governance process, Jackson may well be considered a journeyman, serving in several areas without ever having full ministerial responsibilities.

During his party’s time in government, he served as junior minister to Burchell Whiteman in the education ministry; to Portia Simpson Miller in local government and community development; and Omar Davies in finance.

Only MPs Mike Henry and Karl Samuda have served longer than Jackson among the current crop of legislators.

“People want to live in St Catherine South. I want to believe that it’s because of the MP they have, but I have been fortunate to be elected in a relatively marginal seat to now a relatively safe seat. I have never taken margins of victory for granted. Each election is a new one, and I have always believed that the people will repose the confidence in you if during the time they give you, you give them reason to believe that you deserve it. And to the extent that they re-elected me six times, I am very, very grateful and I don’t take it for granted,” Jackson told The Sunday Gleaner.

Like most constituencies, his too has been impacted by nationwide voter apathy, which has resulted in dwindling margins of victory. In the 2020 general election, the voter turnout was 37 per cent nationally. Jackson’s margin of victory in St Catherine Southern was 742, a huge fall from margins in the thousands in previous elections.

THE BANKING

SECTOR CRUSADE

The last decade has come to define Jackson both nationally and politically. He has not only been championing the call for Portmore residents to be the sole determinants in making their community Jamaica’s 15th parish, but he has also taken on what he deems as an unjust banking sector.

With both the government and the central bank in his line of fire, Jackson has repeatedly slapped the BOJ and financial sector, stoutly calling for better customer service and the removal or reduction of user fees.

“The private sector boasts about its ability to be more efficient, but how efficient are they with providing service? They curse government workers and the public sector and tell them how inefficient they are, but look how long it takes to do transactions in the banks? They have the gall to talk about inefficiency? They have the gall to talk about modernisation? They don’t have the moral authority, because in their own operation, they don’t demonstrate efficiency,” said an animated Jackson.

“The banks have some of the most inefficient operations because of what people have to go through. I was in western Jamaica last weekend and to see the long lines that people stand at those ATMs. The same banks that talk about service and efficiency subject people to stand in the sun and rain to access monies from their banks. So don’t come tell me about service. Don’t come tell me about inefficiency. Demonstrate it. Let it be a model for the rest of Jamaica,” Jackson charged.

Repulsed after a personal experience in which he believed he was heavily penalised for encashing a cheque at a bank, he took his dismay and disgust publicly and to the Parliament. Jackson said the banks made billions off customers, yet penalise them for using the system.

“If you don’t believe me, ask the Jamaican people what has been their experience with banks and they will tell you,” he said.

He said in the Banking Services Amendment Act, one of the provisions is for customers to be notified if a fee is to be charged for specific transactions, which allows them to decide on whether they want to go ahead with that transaction.

“How unreasonable is it that you have to cause a regulation to come in place for something like using ATMs? And why is it that the BOJ, which is supposed to be protecting the public, so lazy, so late to look out for customers?” he argued.

CHANGE NEEDED IN PARLIAMENTARY AND POLITICAL CULTURE

Jackson cited former Prime Minister Bruce Golding’s efforts to bring cultural changes to parliamentary behaviour as a high point for him.

He expressed great admiration for Golding’s efforts to bring greater transparency and accountability to the Parliament and procedures when he began a tradition that certain committees should be chaired by opposition members.

“He believed very strongly in the Parliament and I have a lot of admiration for him and that conviction of his. As prime minister, Golding caused all oversight committees to be chaired by opposition members for them to lead the review. They say ‘give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar’. That belongs to Bruce Golding. The proportional representation in the House is reflected by the committees, so the governing side will always have the majority,” he said.

He continued, “I must tell you the truth, there are PNP members who did not like the idea when they came into office in 2011. But led by the honourable Portia Simpson Miller, the PNP acknowledged, respected and preserved what Bruce Golding started.”

“When the government changed in 2016, Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ administration continued it until all the misdoings in the ministries were being exposed, through mainly the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which was already there, but particularly the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) chaired by Dr Wykeham McNeill,” he recounted.

PAAC, of which Jackson is a member, unravelled and exposed a slew of corrupt practices that resulted in billions in losses in the public purse. It led to the removal of Ruel Reid and Andrew Wheatley as cabinet ministers.

Challenged about the PNP’s tenure in office and the scandals to which it was associated, he said, “I have never said the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) administration is the only government with corruption issues. Of course, there have been corruption across administrations. But the JLP is the most corrupt, by both number and levels of corrupt practices. The truth is, this government, this administration, by all documentary evidence, has been the most corrupt in independent Jamaica.”

Expressing concern about the current government’s handling of reports that are submitted to the House, Jackson emphasised that the tabling of reports in the Parliament was not only for the eyes of the lawmakers, but for the country to see and know what their government is doing.

“This is a sad, sad period in our political journey and parliamentary journey. I am worried. I’m worried. Because it (this behaviour) threatens our democracy and the well-being of the ordinary Jamaican citizens who want to control their destinies through a democratically elected government. Election is one thing, but other critical elements, such as transparency and accountability, are important so that elections do not become a farce,” he stressed.

THE FUTURE

His contribution to educational institutions has been a source of pride for the MP. He believes in strengthening them so that they can provide quality students. He expressed pride that the schools in his constituency are all doing well, with some doing “exceptionally well”, while adding that there is always room for improvement.

Jackson is now satisfied that when he walks away, politics will have qualified and dedicated young people who are willing to serve their country. The quality and passion the young crop brings warms his heart, he said, and he is urging them to carefully carve out a niche and pursue it with passion.

A formidable member of parliamentary committees, Jackson is among the most knowledgeable in parliamentary procedures, and astute in proceedings.

Jackson, who also serves on Parliament’s Constituency Boundaries and Internal and External Affairs committees, holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Florida International University. He has earned high marks from watchdog Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal for attendance to Parliament and parliamentary committee.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com