Kristen Gyles | A message for Markie G

Today, I am amplifying a message shared in a video recording by a man who appears to be an ordinary Jamaican social media user, lamenting Markie G’s decorum in recent times. The gentleman, who sports long dreadlocks, delivered his message in the common vernacular, ironically. But we will get to that.

He says:

“Since Mark Golding guh hear people a talk seh him a nuh Jamaican … bare ‘boogooyaga’ ting di man start gwaan wid enuh. Mark Golding, a nuh suh Jamaican act, yuh hear? Suh start bring some decency to yuh party, cause a yuh di PNP dem a look up to… mi nuh know how yuh tek up dis Jamaican ting and yuh tek it up wrong. Fuss of all Jamaican nuh look suh when dem dress. Jamaican dem look clean, slick, witty and smart. Yuh si? Jamaican wear Clarks booty like Andrew Holness and dem Clarks always clean – not even dust can’t guh pon ee – dem brush off ee. Jamaican dress attire properly. Yuh si?

The man continued, now perhaps taking on the alter ego of a British man, starting to twang.

“And when Jamaican speak they speak properrr English, just in case if they are ... umm … above another one or another person into category. Jamaican try to be very witty, articulate, and speak properrr whenever dey get position.”

He returns to himself and says:

“Suh you, I don’t know what kinda position yuh inna … if yuh waah be a leader, learn fi lace up yuh shoes good and clean yuh shoes good … and fix yuh self good, fix yuh hair good, fix yuh shirt good, look inna di mirror, look pon yuh self good, fix yuhself good and present yuh self good before yuh guh out deh man…”

All this he says while patting down his hair and smoothing out his clothes, so as to demonstrate how Markie G should start putting himself together.

WHOLE LOT TO UNPACK

There is a whole lot to unpack here. Being schooled on attire and general decorum, by a man who himself does not conform to the standard corporate image, is… not good for someone seeking ascension to the prime ministerial seat. This man does not hold an isolated or unpopular opinion, either. He has verbalized what many Jamaicans have been saying for some time, and as the impending election draws nearer, however frivolous the overall message may seem, it takes on increased significance.

For starters, let me hasten to say, I could not care less whether the prime minister wears a three-piece suit all the time or wears ‘Clarks booty’. I also do not care whether he uses patois while addressing Jamaicans (who also speak patois). However, many Jamaicans care and care a lot. The reasons for that are irrelevant to this discussion, so I won’t get into any of that.

It suffices to say that, for the average Jamaican, the ability to speak the King’s English is indicative of intelligence and the ability to dress formally is indicative of importance. What Markie G has been signalling all this time to Jamaicans who think in this way, is that he is not only not as smart but also less important than his more articulate and better-dressed counterpart.

When politicians decide to run for office, they sign a social contract to present themselves, while representing the country, in ways that the people approve of. However, Markie G has to first get an understanding of what the average Jamaican finds respectable before he can emulate said respectability. That is where there seems to be a disconnect. Many Jamaicans, like my concerned social media friend, find the use of casual clothing, informal language and an overall relaxed demeanour synonymous with ‘boogooyaga’ behaviour – not respectability.

Recently, Markie G used a choice word, supposedly out of frustration, while speaking on a microphone on the campaign trail. He offered, unsurprisingly, a very casual and almost unserious apology. But it is not just the casual use of an expletive that has attracted to him a reputation for being unserious and insouciant. The moniker “Markie G’ alone, paired with his usual laid-back and informal demeanour does not exactly scream “serious business”.

SERIOUS BUSINESS

At election time, believe it or not, many will be voting for serious business. They will vote for the party they think is serious enough about making life better for them – not the party which makes better political jabs, which makes better dub-plates or campaign jingles or even the party which is more relatable. Relatability therefore cannot be the number one goal.

The truth is that not all Jamaicans want to relate to their leaders. Many want to revere and look up to them and want to see them as being different. They do not want their Prime Minister to look, sound or behave like them. However sad it is, it is true. So, while the gentleman schooling the opposition leader on how to speak ‘properrr’, might himself be using the common vernacular, and find it unobjectionable to do so, Mr Golding is ‘above’ that. After all he is the Ever Honourable, Most Royal Highness, Admirable Majesty Sir Mark Golding, leader of the Opposition. How could he stoop so low?

Jamaicans are varied, and only a few seem endeared to the opposition leader by his yaad-style approach to campaigning. However, if he wants the support of other Jamaicans, he will have to make some adjustments to his communication style and general deportment. Markie G might not know it (or want to accept it), but deep down, Mark Golding does.

Kristen Gyles is a free-thinking public affairs opinionator. Send feedback to kristengyles@gmail.com and columns@gleanerjm.com