Editorial | Blueprint for values crusade

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has not disclosed if, or how far, he has advanced his plan for a ministry, separate from the one for national security, to address Jamaica’s chronic problem of violence and dysfunctional behaviour.

The last time Mr Holness spoke publicly about the idea, at his party’s conference in November, he was cogitating on its name (searching for one that would capture the intent of the ministry) and awaiting the report of a study on antisocial behaviour in Jamaica to determine how to proceed.

“I’m thinking of calling it the ministry of peace and human development, but maybe that won’t be the name,” the prime minister said. “But we need a ministry that is focused on reducing the level of violence in our society.”

As this newspaper observed at the time, while we believe Mr Holness is on to something, we are not convinced that what he requires is another government superstructure and self-perpetuating bureaucracy that tends to come with ministries. Indeed, we remain sceptical of Mr Holness’ intended approach.

In fact, we suggest that Mr Holness suspend work on the ministry – which he hoped to launch early in the new year – and instead, given their recent statements matter, invite the former prime minister, P.J. Patterson, and the lawyer and businessman Howard Mitchell to help shape, and lead with him, a national crusade to rescue social values in Jamaica.

Mr Patterson ought, perhaps, to be invited to be patron of this crusade while Mr Mitchell, operating with the executive imprimatur of the prime minister, is named deputy chairman of a special commission on values, attitudes, and civic behaviour, which Mr Holness would formally chair. This commission could, possibly, operate as a subgroup of the National Partnership Council, which, Mr Patterson suggested, should take the lead in the campaign.

SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS

There are four potentially significant benefits in this approach for Mr Holness. First, the prime minister’s plan remains conceptually woolly. It is not clear whether he wants a ministry that takes over and coordinates the government social-intervention programmes for at-risk individuals or something that does these things while straddling front-line national security issues, for which there is already a dedicated ministry. This raises the likelihood of tensions, which is best avoided if the overlaps and divisions are clear from the outset. Indeed, a wider stakeholder involvement in the planning and management of the campaign would help to minimise conflicts, giving the crusade a greater chance of success.

Further, Mr Patterson would bring significant value to this initiative – and to Mr Holness himself.

Having failed for three decades to gain traction for his own values and attitudes initiative (the idea was ridiculed by political opponents), he remains invested in the idea. “We need a national team comprising the Government, Opposition, farmers, teachers, security forces, private sector, trade unions, Church, and civil society to come together against the elements threatening our right to life, justice, freedom, self-worth, and respect,” the former prime minister said in a speech last week.

Significantly, too, even as he remains committed to the Opposition People’s National Party, Mr Patterson has evolved into something of an elder statesman, largely above the partisan fray. Mr Patterson’s party, therefore, would have no incentive to undermine a project of which he was the patron. The Government would have the benefit of his participation in the initiative without feeling itself exposed to needling for the governing party’s past ridicule of a similar campaign.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

Mr Mitchell’s strong advocacy – in an October speech at his induction into the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica’s Hall of Fame for private-sector and civil society leadership of a new values campaign and his proven track record in getting things done – makes him an ideal candidate to provide leadership to this initiative.

“Let’s face facts,” he said in his October speech. “Our political leaders, adept as they are in messaging prosperity and patronage find themselves conflicted in carrying a message of peace and love and harmony while preaching that the other half of the nation are deviant scoundrels who wish to steal our porridge.”

Mr Mitchell would also have a good chance of success in enticing private-sector firms to open their chequebooks to finance the campaign.

Fourth, Mr Holness has made no secret of wanting to build a post-prime ministerial legacy. He could hardly do better than leave Jamaica a kinder, gentler place than he found it, especially if this contributed to a sustained reduction in the country’s homicide rate of around 55 per 100,000.

Operating across the political aisle as well as with civil society groups comes at no additional cost to the prime minister except for some difficult conversations, and some difficult decisions, which he would have to make anyway if he is serious about transformation.

In his speech last week, Mr Patterson said: “Respect for self, caring for our neighbour, discipline, civility, and just plain decency have been overshadowed by greed, materialism, and a worrying moral decline.”

Turning this around will not be easy. It will require extraordinary leadership, especially from Mr Holness, including an absolute intolerance of corruption in government.