Institutionalised political bias must end

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I believe that the same standard of qualification must be applied to every Jamaican public servant who has an interest in political representation, regardless of his/her occupation, and that there should be no favoured group, as is now the case where if you are employed as an educator, you may contest and hold political office without having to give up your job.

Why is this group of public servants so specially favoured, and why are other groups not qualified? Why should other public servants be required to give up their jobs in pursuit of political office and face the attendant risks, while such risks have been removed by the State for this particular group of public servants? Whatever the answer may be, this arrangement, in my estimation, is unjust and has no place in a democratic society.

No doubt, the denial of this right to other groups of public servants is considered necessary to protect these areas of public service from political tribalism, but why isn’t education deserving of such protection?

I believe that if the State cannot provide this opportunity to all groups of public servants, then it should provide it to none.

Level the playing field – get rid of this institutionalised political bias.

WINSTON FOSTER

Chairman, Albert Town High

School