Mark Wignall | Independence means little to many
Published:Thursday | August 8, 2019 | 12:06 AM
With just about 23 per cent of the Jamaican population aged 50 and over, it means that August 6, 1962, 57 years ago, would have some relevance, even of date, to that small cohort who were children on that date, or others would have been loosely educated about its nobler meanings; via the household or community chatter.
“I’ve never thought about it,” said an 18-year-old temporary worker in a government office. I had asked her the question on Tuesday, “What does Independence mean to you?” while talking about other topical matters, not the least of which was the small size of her pay packet.
“It mean sey, wi haffi paddle wi own canoe. Nobody nah push or pull wi,” said a 70-year-old taxi operator on Tuesday.
A 43-year-old mechanical engineer told me last Monday, “I guess you want me to give you an impressive-sounding response,” when I posed the question to him. “To me, it means that I must provide for my wife and two children. That is my priority. In fact, it is my only duty, and I don’t think of Independence beyond it being a holiday.”
Jamaicans are big on celebrations, but mostly only to the extent that holidays like Emancipation Day and Independence Day provide them with free time for rest, relaxation and partying. No place is it written or carved in stone that a Jamaican can only be a good citizen if he embraces the true meaning of independence; freedom to choose our leaders and to pursue a better social and economic space for those who will come after us.
“School soon open, so that is mainly what I have on my mind right now,” said a bar operator. “I am lucky that his father is helping so things not too bad with me. I know it rough with others,” she said, as we spoke on Tuesday afternoon. Usually at this time, our leaders fill the airwaves with their little pep pills of hope and economic betterment. That is a part of their job description.
Misconception of independence
To the majority of our people, they have never identified a direct link between wearing independence as a badge of honour and being a good citizen. A week before Independence Day, a man I know only by his nick name and the fact that he was born on August 6, 1962, and his status of being perennially unemployed, approached me with a most unusual request. He said that someone from abroad owed him J$2 million and he wanted me to use my bank account to receive it.
“Are you out of your #\*# head?’ I said to him. “Sorry about that, but you know that something is terribly wrong about that transaction.”
On Independence Day he was seated by himself and fuming. “Mi ask a bredrin and him agree, and all now mi can’t find the man or my money. Di people show me evidence dat dem sen it, and it look like di man hol on to my money.”
He told me he had a gun and is not afraid to use it. “The situation spoil big time already. A know how you feel, but right on your birthday and at Independence, don’t do anything to endanger yu life and throw yuself in prison,” I said.
A 12-year-old schoolgirl gave me hope on Tuesday when she said, “Independence means we are a great people and we can do many great things on our own.” I asked her if she had heard that from her teacher or parent.
“No, that is just how I work it out from what I have read.” In her, a little treasure garden grows.