THE EDITOR, Madam:

Does the Jamaican society have a moral benchmark? Our driving behaviour on the roadways depicts an unrestrained lack of knowledge and understanding of the traffic rules. The disorder on the streets of our urban spaces and town centres confirms the dominance of bad behaviour. The impunity with which municipal statutes such as the Noise Abatement Act, the Building Code, the Anti-litter Act and others, are breached, is astounding. It is therefore no wonder that public corruption and criminality are viewed in consideration of partisan political and personal affiliation.

There seems to be no sector in the country which may be depended on to uphold a consistent ethical direction. One may recall, years ago, where a member of the clergy was implicated in a case of sexual misconduct with an underage girl. At the court hearing, there was the leadership of a prominent high school for girls, offering support to the alleged perpetrator.

Over the years, we have seen entertainers convicted of serious crimes, including murder, rape and contraband trading, and the masses build for them a pedestal, instead of standing for the sanctity of law and order. And then, there are the daily reports of the undermining of the edicts of good governance in public administration, which are always adjudicated along partisan lines in the public square and the legislature.

Our country cannot fully attain, inter alia, consistent economic growth and prosperity, a significant reduction in the per capita homicide rate and a generally ordered society, unless a critical mass of our people become invested in a better social space. And, it is not just the responsibility of the legislature and the governmental executive, the people, all of us, must become invested in the creation of an orderly society.

We cannot continue along this slippery slope of fickle, self-serving morals and the rabid disorder which runs the gamut of our country. If we continue on this path, we will soon be characterised, not by our creativity, resilience and innovative nature, but by our lack of order and support for good governance. Jamaica runs the risk of losing its best minds to other nations, not because they are better than us but because they espouse a sense of order and structure where systems work and the likelihood that consequences for acts against regulations will be applied to all.

Jamaica is a great nation, well known and admired in the global space for a wide range of characteristics, from entertainment, sports, education, and natural resources to being at the forefront of representation of key global issues. As we stand on the threshold of celebrating our 62nd year of political independence, let us resolve to rally around this nation which has given us an identity, to reshape its moral identity. Let us stand for what is just and not what is expedient and self-serving.

MARK HYLTON

Montego Bay