Fi true? Nuh bettah nuh deh?

Errol Hewitt , Contributor

My generation became adults around the time of Independence. Despite the rigidity of an entrenched class system, augmented by a bias for shades of complexion facilitated by more than 300 years of British colonialism, the realisation took time to sink in that this was the dawn of political freedom. There was an innate enthusiasm in most Jamaicans, especially among those entering adulthood, to commit themselves to our country's political and socio-economic development.

Critical to the region's awakening to political independence was the significant response of the region's standard bearer, the University of the West Indies and, especially so, the social science faculty at the Mona campus. The limiting education policy of our colonial masters was being pushed back by the university's continuing expansion, allowing more Jamaicans - including those from the masses and, therefore, mostly of darker hue, greater access to tertiary education.

As students, the reality of political independence and its challenge for us as a people, given our history of slavery and colonialism, immediately brought the application of socio-economic and political theory 'upfront' and very personal to us. To most at that time, indeed a brighter day was dawning.

A Time and a Season ...

The university was well prepared for such a time as this, with legendary academics like Archie Singham, George Beckford, George Best, Rex Nettleford, Havelock Brewster, Norman Girvan, Herman and Hermione McKenzie and from the Faculty of Arts, Elsa Goveia, Mervyn Morris, Roy Augier, etc. Some of the best academics available in the world were involved with our education and, in the region, William Demas was defending his economic concept of construction, and Sir Arthur Lewis' work was part of our daily experience. And Derek Walcott, George Lamming, Roger Mais, John Hearne, etc, were providing us with valuable insights in language which made it easy to absorb and retain. All this with a very academically responsive student body, including Carl Stone, Ken Hall, Boswell Ivey, Martin Afflick, Hugh Taylor and so many more, all with a passion for knowledge which had to be readily applicable now that we had become fully responsible for ourselves in this world. It was an exciting renaissance-type time of strong patriotism and enthusiastic expectation for our country.

It was a time when, among the options available to those new students whose families had never before had a member attain tertiary-level education, the civil service was the main real conduit to contribute to national development. Most of the increasing number of students were from the lower middle class and the masses, and most as undergraduate students knew and/or were made to know very little [vestiges of colonialism] about postgraduate studies or saw it as practical, given family expectation and financial strictures.

Entry into the civil service, however, was not automatic and for many successful applicants it had been essential to have had an inside contact of good standing, able to vouch for their capacity, work ethic and character. But despite the negatives of class and skin-tone limitations, the then civil service had a culture of very high standards, ethics, and integrity. The civil service then was well staffed with highly qualified, experienced and motivated Jamaicans - led by icons like Sir Edgerton Richardson, Arthur Brown, Horace Barbar, Derryck Dyer and Don Brice, etc. Our civil service then was internationally recognised as one of the best in the world. One beneficial aspect of the colonial legacy was an efficient administration and system which functioned professionally.

Independent and In Charge

Yet today, more than 40 years later, while governance has become more complex, it has also become depressingly distressed despite the fact of:

• HEART Trust/NTA-focused on national technical and vocational training;
• An education system at the tertiary level with more universities and much wider curricula;
• Many more thousands of tertiary students graduating annually;
• A more representative student and graduate body of the wider society;
• Graduates with master's and PhD degrees in truly outstanding numbers; and
• Universities springing up silently like dew on the grass.

The civil service today, despite a cadre of fine efficient officers, is nonetheless beset with a mediocrity which is suffocating it, corruption which is spreading within it like influenza and with an entrenched feudal system which facilitates these ills while frustrating especially new talent. Our civil service, faltering on many sides, no longer has a positive reputation internationally and yet this is the tool in the Government's hands with which it expects to achieve development. How purposeful and cost-effective can this be? Are we as Jamaicans, therefore, to believe that "Nuh bettah nuh deh?"

How can we be restructuring ministries, their agencies and the entire civil service without a feasible, current and agreed upon national plan on which to base a viable reorganisation?

The 2030 attempted plan for national development cannot now be even considered viable after this recent international financial meltdown which has had such a devastating effect on so many economies around the world, including our trading partners'.

Let's be honest: if the current exercise is only to reduce staff, say so; if it's not, how can we meaningfully proceed without in the process, shaping the service to achieve set national goals? This latter is inevitable for achieving consistent socio-economic development. Since it has at some point to be done, why not do it now that substantial funds are already being expended to reduce the size of the physical and human service? Or are we destined to keep avoiding the essentials and in five- or 10-year cycles always returning to the same circumstance? Is it a fact that "Fi true? Nuh bettah nuh deh?"

Political Leadership and Trust

How trustworthy then are the hands to direct the civil service and guide our development?

There has been increasing dissatisfaction with the quality and commitment of our political leadership over the last 30 years to the point where some even question their ethics and integrity while expressing alarm at the spectre of possible partnerships with criminal elements. Within this background there has been much expressed disappointment in Mr Golding's failure to resign from office or at least tell the whole truth on the 'Dudusgate' issue. The continuing haemorrhaging of facts pertaining to this issue speaks volumes. What is also true is that 'Dudusgate' and its ramifications have cost our country hundreds of millions of dollars and an embarrassment on the international scene, which has angered our diaspora and clouded the marketability of Brand Jamaica.

Yet, our political hierarchy remains undisturbed; it would seem that the retention of political power is more important than the country's interest or its belief in the integrity of government. Our reputation in the world is in the pits - not only in respect of our world leading murder rate but the whole integrity of our system of governance.

In contrast, the immediate past Japanese prime minister recently resigned from his office because he was unable to fulfil his election promises. Our selfish traditions and increasing ethical poverty are indeed 'upfront' and in our faces.

Wha wrang wid we? No bettah nuh deh?

But we are caught in a bind, between a rock and a hard place. The polls do not indicate any great desire for an election at this time. The Opposition in our Parliament was once known as Norman Manley's thinking man's party. It is supposed to present itself as a government-in-waiting with regularly updated plans for every sector of the economy together with a national vision and a team of capable, current and committed persons who inspire national confidence. Instead, we have the previous government party now largely unchanged in Opposition without its promised 'Progressive Agenda' showing the charted course it proposes. In brief, we have an Opposition with neither plan nor 'presence'.

"It seems that an important difference between the Independence era of the '60s/early '70s and today was the greater emphasis on the quality of persons we produced then. Our education system, apart from meeting the academic requirements was focused on precisely this - the quality of the persons being prepared for citizenship and life. Many, for example in my generation cannot, despite any possible negatives, forget in the preceding generation the sense of 'presence' and competence of the graduates of the First, Second and Third Jamaica Local Examinations.

While our civil service is bloated in size and has to be reduced, perhaps the greater source of difficulty and wastage is the fact that, despite a core of fine officers, it is ethically emaciated, increasingly corrupt and inefficient. Both the political system and the civil service are devoid of real standards and a focused purpose in their respective organisations; all factors relevant to capacity, ability and character. They both require firm leadership at every level, a strong work ethic, accountability, proper monitoring and an insistence on high standards.

The now traditional selfishness and greed of our political leaders, the focus on winning elections but not governance, and the perceived deep linkage with alleged criminals rob their offices increasingly of the people's trust and respect and the nation of its hope.

"Where there is no shame, there is no honour"

- African proverb

Errol Hewitt is an ICT consultant. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.