Public Affairs: Why pluck the Jack of Spades?

Gordon Robinson, Gleaner Writer

Yet again, turmoil in the Jamaican political landscape exposes its many weaknesses.

It's arrant nonsense to suggest that the revocation of a visa renders a Jamaican ineligible to serve in the current Cabinet. So there must be more than meets the eye to the resignation of James Robertson following his visa loss. If a foreign nation's visa policy can decide who serves in a Jamaican Cabinet, our Government could be easily paralysed and the country conquered without a shot being fired by anyone who so desired.

Let's try to apply some principles of clear thinking to this fiasco. What do we know as fact? First, the United States of America (USA) and Jamaica are friendly nations. In that context, it's unimaginable that Driva heard of the revocation in the media. I'm prepared to bet US$1 million to a stale donut he was given details of the allegations against Robertson; several advance warnings of what might happen should he fail to act; and clear notice of the final decision to pull the visa.

And I don't need to wait on any WikiLeaks revelations to ask for my betting voucher to be cashed.

Otherwise, the visa revocation would be an act of war. It would justify the expulsion of the US ambassador and the launching of marijuana-filled missiles at strategic US military targets. Since neither has been publicly considered, it follows that I win my bet and the US adhered scrupulously to protocol before taking this drastic step against a friendly government's minister.

Assuming I'm correct that he was forewarned, what did Driva do? Did he act to protect the integrity of the Jamaican Government by (for example) announcing an immediate Cabinet reshuffle and ordering Robertson to surrender his visa, both BEFORE the visa could be revoked? Well, at the time of writing, there's still no reshuffle and, if he so ordered, he was disobeyed with impunity as Robertson's resignation came only after his visa was revoked. Did he tell the Americans to jump in the lake until they prove whatever it is they allege? Apparently not, as evidenced by the immediate resignation once the USA acted. So, it seems fair to conclude that Driva's indecisiveness or inactivity has, once again, resulted in international embarrassment for Jamaica. This time, it's been made to appear that America can select our Cabinet. Leadership or ineptitude? Political savvy or spinelessness? You decide.

Don't get me started on the PNP's 'new' shadow Cabinet. There's
nothing 'new' or different about it. It's a reshuffle in every sense of
the word, as the same old cards have simply played musical chairs, with
the youth card losing out in the mad scramble for the last seat.

The names and birth dates of the 'new' shaded and jaded (oops,
sorry, 'shadow') Cabinet reads like a roll call of the aged and infirm
at a private assisted-living facility. Clarke (1940); Nicholson (1942);
Pickersgill (1943); Simpson Miller (1945); Thwaites (1945); Davies
(1947); Kellier (1947); Phillips (1949); Arscott (1950); Ferguson
(1951); Fagan (1956); Guy (1956); Hylton (1957); McNeill (1957); Bunting
(1960); and Paulwell (1962).

That's 16 of the 18. Only one of the 16 is under 50, and he's 49¹/².
The average age of the above tired, failed and discarded bunch is 57
years of age. All will be over 50 if elected next time out. By 2013, the
average age will be hovering around 60. There's no seat at the table
for any Basil Waite, Julian Robinson or Damion Crawford.

What exactly does this antiquated assembly have to offer the
18-25 age demographic which is growing all the time and getting more and
more disconnected from the process? These are the persons who need
first jobs; homes; and, particularly our young women, educated life
partners. What's being offered to women who are the overwhelming
majority of our tertiary-level students and the inevitable leaders of
tomorrow?

Grey hairs cast ominous shadow

Why can't the PNP understand that recycling rejects like Omar
Davies, whose policies extinguished the spirit of Jamaican
entrepreneurship for at least a generation, Robert 'Chicken Feed'
Pickersgill and Phillip 'NetServ' Paulwell is just not on? In 2017, when
a re-elected PNP (they hope) will have just about settled into the job
and be campaigning for a second term, Portia will be 72 and Peter
Phillips 68.

Old fogeys

Are the PNP serious? Are these the leaders to take our youth into
the future? What's the succession plan? Does any of these old fogeys
understand the youth or the future? Will they, like the youthful and
energetic Barack Obama, be adept at the technological social-networking
skills needed in the Facebook age? Or, how many of the above motley
crew, like Dorothy Lightbourne, don't even know how to use a computer?

What signal is the PNP sending when a young, rising star like
Mark Golding, whose success stories have been as a commercial lawyer and
an investment banker, is asked to oversee justice? I doubt Mark Golding
has ever seen the inside of a courthouse. Why isn't he the spokesman on
finance? Or commerce? Was the slotting of that round peg into a square
hole deliberate or stupid?

Why hasn't the highly intelligent and pragmatic Lisa Hanna been
promoted to shadow something of substance like transport and works, or
health? Why is she still shunted aside to speak on a topic that ought to
be no more than an adjunct to the education portfolio.

And, speaking of education, Thwaites? Puh-leeeeeeezzze. Or, as he
might say, "Mercy me". What on earth are his qualifications for this
task? His entire life has been spent fighting for human rights and
justice, but he's not good enough to be the spokesman on justice? Why
not?

In my opinion, most of Omar Davies' errors of judgement as a
finance minister were because his policies came from textbooks. Academia
has always been his forte. If stay he must, why not put him where he can do some good, namely, in education?

So, once again, on both sides of the political fence in Jamaica,
we have leaders whose ability to apply the principles of clear thought
to critical issues are exposed as limited at best, non-existent at
worst. God help Jamaica.

Peace and love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.