Peter Espeut | Bread and circuses

Gone are the days when the vast majority of Jamaican voters supported either the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) or the People’s National Party (PNP), and the “nowhereians” were in the minority. Recent opinion polls – and indeed the last general election – indicate that the number of Jamaicans disenchanted with both parties is vastly greater than the supporters of the PNP and JLP combined!

This shows that Jamaican voters are growing up, are maturing, have developed a healthy quantum of self-respect, because the way they were being treated by both political parties can only be described as contempt.

Think about it! Jamaican political parties rarely campaign seriously on ideas; a manifesto – if there is one – is issued at the last minute so there is no time for serious discussion and debate. And as fresh elections approach, no one – even in the media – pulls out the manifesto of the last winning party and interrogates how they performed on the promises they made on the campaign trail.

At election time in Jamaica, what passes for campaigning can only be described as the ancient Roman custom of bread and circuses. A well-dressed stage with microphones is set up, and people are bussed in from near and far, decked out in caps, shirts and armbands of the appropriate colour, armed with vuvuzelas for the purpose of making as much noise as possible to drown out the campaign speeches.

Those who congregate are treated to a stage show filled with music and comedy and bombast, where extravagant promises are made, and persons of the other side are caricatured and ridiculed. And while the show is in progress there is plenty curry goat and liquor. Increasingly, we hear that thousands of dollars change hands.

All in the name of democracy! Bread and circuses! And dinero!

But here is the thing: if you think that the electorate can be bought for a mess of pottage, what level of respect do you have for them? Are you treating them as intelligent people, responsible citizens in a democracy taking considered decisions for the good of their country? Or are you treating them like animals, driven by their lower instincts to immediate personal gratification? Objects who just want to eat a food, get drunk, and have a good time?

CONTEMPT FOR PEOPLE

That is contempt for the people! And both the PNP and JLP are guilty of it!

When Jamaicans grow up and realise that they are being disrespected by the politicians (and their private sector donors) – that they and their votes are being bought, and that they are being used as pawns in a political chess game – how will they react? How will they respond to recover their self-respect? Their natural and rational reaction and response will be rejection of both political parties, and this nation that does not operate in their best interest.

And that is what the current opinion polls are measuring. It is real! And the political animals call it “apathy”, when it actually is profound political protest and activism, and a cry for respect.

Garrison communities in Jamaica were born out of this kind of political patronage. A house was the purchase price for their votes. It gets to a point where people begin to feel cheap, and react against it! The churches I administer in inner-city Kingston serve several garrison communities of contrasting colours, and many of the young men and women I interact with have renounced party politics. They want to support issues – to support development and real progress – not to play games. For entertainment they have their smart devices.

Going forward, it is going to be hard to predict the outcome of Jamaican elections because the number of voters who will turn out on the day will be so small. As time passes, the diehards are dwindling. The analysts tell us that in recent decades, rather than opposition parties winning elections, unpopular governments are voted out. Maybe the PNP feel they don’t even have to promise anything: victory in the next elections will be handed them on a platter.

With so much wrong with the current JLP government, sentiment to vote them out is strong. Yet with the PNP offering so little prospect they will be any better, voters may not even bother to turn out on election day to vote out the JLP. Why replace one set of corrupt opportunists with another set of corrupt opportunists?

It would be so easy for the PNP to say: “Elect us and we will bring transparency to the declaration of assets by politicians and remove the gag clause in the integrity legislation. Elect us and we will bring transparency to political donations and to the award of contracts. Elect us and we will bring an end to nepotism, cronyism, corruption and waste in the public sector. Elect us and we will bring genuine constitutional reform will be in full consultation and public education. Elect us and we will not convert A1 agricultural lands into housing, and we will make the green spaces in our cities and towns places of beauty and recreation. Elect us and we will make sure the public has access to Jamaica’s beautiful beaches, and gets a bigger share of the tourism pie. Elect us and we will support our parks and protected areas, wildlife and ecosystems (including the Cockpit Country), and reverse environmental degradation.” But the PNP say none of this – or anything like it.

The message they send is that “we will be the same as the JLP, except that it will be PNP snouts in the trough”.

Dog nyam we supper!

Peter Espeut is a sociologist and development scientist. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com