Peter Espeut | Study their value systems

The Southern Coast Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP) Part B2 (Harbour View to Yallahs Bridge) was declared open in an impressive 8-scissors ribbon-cutting ceremony on February 6, 2024 just before the February 26, 2024 Local Government elections.

But even now – 18 months after the official opening – that leg of the highway is still not complete. As I was going home on Monday last I saw that they had dug up the roadway (again) by Eight Miles Bull Bay. It looked like they were making adjustments to the drainage. When – Oh Lord! – will this badly mismanaged highway project be completed?

I was so wrong! I thought the government was sure to complete this legacy project before the election! It seems that this government is intent on passing it on to the Mark Golding government to complete.

Some weeks ago I drove on the new highway between May Pen and Williamsfield. That roadway – built to be a toll road – was officially opened even earlier – on September 14, 2023; but I took out my money in vain: 23 months after its official opening, the toll booths lay wide open for vehicles to pass THROUGH; de toll road nuh reddy! I don’t know what the problem is.

Again, it seems as if the Andrew Holness government plans to leave the Mark Golding government to do what they have been unable to do!

Both highways were prematurely opened, not because construction was complete, or because the legal infrastructure was in place, but for naked political reasons: in an effort to impress voters before an impending election. Well, despite the ribbon-cutting, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) lost the popular vote in the February 2024 local government election, which revealed a huge swing among voters towards the People’s National Party (PNP) in the only polls that cannot be denied.

RIBBON-CUTTINGS

Multiple ribbon-cuttings do not win elections. But some people are hard to learn. Both highways are listed in the JLP’s solid achievements document on page 18, but the JLP should be embarrassed at being unable to complete them. Both these projects are actually “own goals” scored against themselves, in the great political football match under way.

Several other incomplete projects are listed as solid achievements, like the Morant Bay Urban Centre (page 3) and the National Rural School Bus System (page 17). They claim to have lowered energy costs (my bills are higher), and in the midst of water restrictions because of the annual drought they claim to have improved the water supply for 350,000 people (page 19).

Undoubtedly some people may be better off (they can speak for themselves), but these claims are overblown, and some of the solid (and liquid) achievements are fluff.

At time of writing I have not yet seen the manifestos of either of the two major political parties, but the United Independence Congress (UIC) has sent me theirs. It is not likely to find favour with Christian-minded people. It says on page 11: “Government does not have the authority to define, promote, license, or restrict personal relationships. Consenting adults should be free to choose their own personal relationships. Government shall not engage in the issuing of marriage licenses, but simply act as a repository of contracts for adjudication.”

One the one hand the UIC states that “We should all understand that abortion is the destruction of an individual human life and could be described as murder” (page 12); but then they say: “Recognising that abortion is a sensitive issue, and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides; we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration”.

ULTRA-FREE MARKETERS

They are against the death penalty (page 15), and for environmental protection (page 19). Yet they are ultra-free-marketers: “Uniters support the right of every person to earn an honest and peaceful living through the free and voluntary exchange of goods and services. Accordingly, we oppose occupational and other licensing laws that infringe on this right or treat it as a state-granted privilege” (page 27).

They support prostitution: “The UIC supports the decriminalization and non-criminalization of all activities that do not result in a victim where one was either forced or defrauded into the activity. We affirm the right of consenting adults to provide services to each other for compensation, and the right of adults to purchase services from consenting adults without being criminalized for doing so based on someone or a group thinking the activity is immoral or otherwise unacceptable” (page 28).

They seem to be more of a libertarian party. They need to explain themselves more and argue their case if they wish substantial public support.

I do not agree with most of what the UIC stands for, but I respect the fact that they hang out their philosophy and beliefs for all to see, to accept or reject. I am yet to see the major political parties expose the deep-seated value system which underpins their actual or proposed activities. I am not sure they are self-reflexive enough to have identified the value system that drives them (every party has one, even if it is just “power at any cost”, or “I must be free to get rich at public expense”); and our education system does not expose our youth to ethical decision-making.

Certainly our political parties are not consistent, being more opportunistic than systematic.

As the election date approaches let us examine for ourselves the options on offer, and vote for the lesser evil.

The Rev. Peter Espeut is dean of studies of St. Michael’s Theological College. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com